Incomplete
by SailorChibi
Summary: "Dark Magician looked at him. "Young one, tell me. What would you give to get the pharaoh back?"" Yuugi makes a sacrifice to get Yami back… and never expected what the resulting consequences would bring. Fem!Yuugi and Fem!Ryou, YYxY, BxR, SxJ
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Incomplete  
**Summary:** "Dark Magician looked at him. "Young one, tell me. What would you give to get the pharaoh back?" Yuugi makes a sacrifice to get Yami back… and never expected the resulting consequences. Fem!Yuugi and Fem!Ryou, YYxY, BxR, SxJ  
**A/N:** Okay, I'm (obviously) not afraid to write slash so what the hell am I doing here? Good question. I was asked whether I would consider re-writing my other YGO story with female hikaris. Short answer, no. But then my mind started wandering. I really shouldn't let it do that anymore; it goes to dangerous places. This is an experiment for the time being; if it's continued updates would be sporadic at best. But… lemme know what you think.

_Empty spaces fill me up with holes  
Distant faces with no place left to go  
Without you within me I can't find no rest  
Where I'm going is anybody's guess_

_I tried to go on like I never knew you_  
_I'm awake but my world is half asleep_  
_I pray for this heart to be unbroken_  
_But without you all I'm going to be is incomplete_  
Backstreet Boys: Incomplete

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Another day over with and thank Ra for that because he didn't think he could take anymore. Mutou Yuugi sighed as he opened the door the Kame Game Shop and slipped inside. Surprisingly, his grandfather wasn't at the counter manning the shop, but Yuugi was relieved for the temporary reprieve. After spending the whole day at school being overly cheerful in an effort to make his friends believe that he was fine, he was pretty sure that his whole face would crack off if he had to maintain that fake smile for even another five minutes. He tried to keep as quiet as possible as he crept across the floor, and his foot had just landed on the first stair when he heard voices behind him.

"Yuu-chan, there you are!" his mother chirped, poking her head around the corner. "I've been waiting for you to come home. Could you watch the shop for a while? I want Jii-chan to take me to the flower show."

No! No no _no_! Yuugi bit the instinctive words back as he turned around slowly. Mutou Koto's face flickered briefly when she caught sight of him, but her expression quickly smoothed out into a beaming smile. She flat out refused to admit that there was anything even slightly wrong with her son. In her eyes, that would mean acknowledging that 'that whole Millennium nonsense' might have been real. As far as anyone outside of the family was concerned, Yuugi was just entering one of 'those stages' and he would get over it soon. He might have cared more about what she said and did if he cared about anything at all.

That was the problem.

He didn't.

"Sure," he said dully. "I can do that."

"No," Mutou Sugoroku said firmly. "Koto-chan, I told you I would go with you later tonight. We'll close the shop a little earlier than normal and have dinner out."

"Yuugi can watch the shop. It won't hurt him," Koto said, thrusting her chin out stubbornly. She wielded her ladle like a sword and normally, Sugoroku probably would have backed down. But not right now, not when Yuugi was wasting away every day and she refused to see it.

"I said no," he repeated. "Go upstairs and have a nap, Yuugi. Maybe you'll feel well enough to come with us later."

Yuugi obediently turned and continued up the stairs, not waiting around to hear his mother protest a second time. Soft squabbling broke out behind him as he made it to the top, walked into his room, and slammed the door. The solitude of his room didn't really help - this was where the memories were the strongest, after all - but he was too tired to want to do anything else. Listlessly, he tossed his bag into the corner of his room and threw himself down on the bed without bothering to take his sneakers off. All he wanted was to forget about the world, but that was easier said than done.

Even though he craved being alone, the memories kept crowding in on him; memories of times that he had _never _been alone because his other half had always been right there with him. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly in an effort to avoid giving over to the tears that wanted to fall. It was always worse in the middle of a crowd, because he couldn't connect to anyone the way he'd connected to the pharaoh, but somehow it was no better when he was alone. A muffled sound that might have been a sob lodged in his throat.

"Yami…" he whispered into his pillow, clenching his hands so tightly into the cotton that his fingers began to ache. Exhaustion dragged at him. He hadn't been sleeping well lately; his dreams were always of Yami and they never failed to make him hurt regardless of whether they were happy or sad. He didn't want to dream anymore. But sleep was a demanding mistress and gradually, his breathing slowed and evened out.

The air shifted. Yuugi froze, instantly awake, recognizing the strange sensation even though it had been a long time since he had last felt it. He rolled over and looked up as a faded mass of roiling purple storm clouds manifested in the middle of his room. Slowly, the clouds elongated and formed into a tall and slender figure. By the time he had sat up, the features had solidified into that of Dark Magician, who promptly knelt and bowed his head to the boy sitting on the bed. Yuugi just stared, his mouth hanging open, for several minutes until Dark Magician looked up. Blazing blue eyes snapped him out of his daze.

"D-Dark Magician?" he stammered. "What… how did… Why…?"

"We have been worried about you, young master," Dark Magician said gently, rising to his feet. He towered over Yuugi but the smaller boy felt no fear. "For the past year we have been watching over you as the pharaoh requested. We had hoped that time might begin the process of healing your wounds, but you have only grown worse with time, and we fear for you future."

Yuugi glanced down at his lap and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Do not apologize. Most of the humans in this world could not understand what it's like to only be one half of a whole. It is cruel to leave you here all by yourself." Dark Magician watched his charge anxiously, as though Yuugi might fade away right in front of him. He took a deep breath and asked, "Young one, tell me. What would you give to get the pharaoh back?"

"What?" Yuugi's head snapped up, his fatigue vanishing. "There's a way to get him back?" He hated the golden warmth of hope that instantly blossomed in his chest. "But… he chose to leave."

"Sometimes duty requires us to do things that the heart does not want," Dark Magician said carefully. "There is a way for him to return, but it requires a sacrifice on your part. Something will be taken from you. A very important part of what makes you _you_. It will change who you are and you will never be able to go back, so you must be certain."

His heart was pounding very fast as Yuugi struggled to make sense of what Dark Magician was saying. Did Yami _want_ to return? Oh Ra, if he did… "What will be taken?" he asked in a small voice.

"That is not for me to say," the duel monster replied. "Our time grows short, young master, and you must make your decision. It took a great deal of energy for us to be able to visit this world and I doubt we will be able to make the journey again."

There was no decision to make. "Yes," Yuugi said firmly, looking squarely into the brilliant blue eyes. "Yes, Mahado, yes. I want Yami back!"

Dark Magician smiled, apparently pleased by the answer. His eyes began to glow and Yuugi found that he couldn't look away, not even when the light grew so bright that it actually started to hurt. He squinted and wriggled in place, letting out a low gasp as a strange tingling began in his fingers and toes. It spread slowly up his arms and legs into the core of his body and became more intense to the point where it bordered on a burning pain. A low whimper escaped him and he began to struggle, trying in vain to find a position that would lesson the tingling. And through it all, his eyes remained locked onto the intensity of the light until all he could see was a stunning array of black spots.

Small hands caught his shoulders and eased him down on the bed. Yuugi gasped for breath, guessing that at some point he had stopped breathing because his lungs were begging for air. He strained in an effort to see past the spots and realized that Dark Magician was gone. In his place was Dark Magician Girl, and she was staring down at him with a sad smile on her lips. She reached down and gently ran her fingers through his hair, a comforting motion that helped to soothe the headache already blooming behind his temples.

"Good luck, Yuugi-chan," she said softly, leaning down to place a kiss on his forehead.

"Bring… Yami back… to me… Mana…" he mumbled, his eyes fluttering shut. A very small part of his mind flailed - why had she called him Yuugi-_chan_? - but he was too far gone to care.

Hours later, Yuugi was awakened by his alarm clock. Automatically, his arm snapped and he shut it off before he sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Did I dream that whole thing?" he wondered out loud, blinking sleepily. It was very different from his usual dreams about Yami. Ra but he hoped that he wasn't going to start having dreams where Yami returned; he didn't think he could handle waking up to reality every day if that was the case.

He stood up and swayed slightly, feeling a little odd, though he couldn't put his finger on why. His head was still aching faintly, not really hurting, but threatening to become a full blown headache if prompted. He moved around his room carefully, collecting the things he'd need to take a shower, and then walked to the bathroom. Koto's bedroom door was still closed, he noticed; no doubt she was angry with him for having fallen asleep the night before instead of joining them for dinner. He'd have to think of some way to make it up to her, but not at the moment. Not until he could think without it taking all of his energy.

"Thank god it's Friday," he mumbled, setting his things down on the counter. Steeling himself against the light, he reached out and flipped the switch, fully expecting a disaster to be staring back at him.

There was.

Just not in the way he had imagined.

Yuugi's jaw hit his chest and he stared. It took several seconds for his mind to catch up with his eyes and fully process what he was looking at. Slowly, very slowly, he reached up and touched his cheek, then trailed his hands down his throat, his shoulders, his chest -

Oh.

_Oh_.

Honestly, he'd never known that he could scream so loud.

But girls could do that.

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Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Oh my god, when I posted this story, I never imagined it would have this kind of reception! You guys seriously rock and all of your reviews made me kick out this next chapter super fast. I know some of you aren't that into gender bend fics, and believe me, I'm with you, because I never thought I'd be reading those kinds of fics, much less_ writing_ one. I'm pleased that you're sticking with me and I really hope that you guys enjoy the second chapter as much as you did the first.

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Less than thirty seconds after she first looked into the mirror, Mutou Yuugi hit the floor, taking everything she had brought into the bathroom with her. As bottles and clothing crashed to the floor around her, she clutched at the nearest thing and pulled it over her head so that she wouldn't have to see anything, shaking from head to toe. Surely this had to be some kind of nightmare, right? This couldn't be true. It was impossible. Dark Magician wouldn't – _couldn't_ – have possibly done this to her. There was just _no way_. Frantically, she squeezed her eyes shut, silently screaming at herself to _wake up_ already. When nothing happened, she seized a bit of skin on her forearm and pinched hard. Pain shot up her arm and she squeaked.

Someone knocked on the door. "Yuugi? I heard you yelling and then some crashes. Are you alright? Did you slip in the shower?" Sugoroku called through the door, sounding concerned.

"I-I'm fine, Jii-chan!" Yuugi clapped a hand over her mouth, horrified. Was that _her _voice? It couldn't be. As a boy, her voice had always been a little higher pitched than she would have liked, but now it was positively... feminine. Chirpy, if you will. Her stomach rose up threateningly and she gagged, throwing the shirt off of her head and scrambling over to the toilet just in time to lose the contents of her stomach.

"Are you ill?" he asked, evidently recognizing the sounds of her throwing up. "Do you want me to call the school and tell them that you won't be in?"

There had once been a time when Yuugi wouldn't have been able to stay home sick unless she was dying. Now, she seized on her grandfather's unusual leniency with a hefty amount of relief. "Yes, please," she replied, remembering at the very last second to pitch her voice lower. It came out sounding strangled and really not at all like her normal voice, but fortunately, Sugoroku seemed to attribute that to her so-called illness, because she heard the sound of his slippers sliding against the floor as he walked away.

Yuugi wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and took a deep, trembling breath. Her hands shook as she clamped them on the sides of the toilet, fighting against the urge to be sick for a second time. She closed her eyes and began a silent countdown backwards from ten. And when that did nothing to calm her down, she started again, this time from one hundred. And when that_ still_ didn't work, she pulled away from the toilet and huddled into a little ball on the floor, resting her head and arms on top of her knees. Maybe if she went back to sleep, this whole nightmare would turn out to be nothing more than an exceptionally bad dream.

Twenty minutes later, she was still awake and slowly getting curious. Jounouchi had once told her that her curiosity was worse than a cat's and sadly, for quite possibly the first time ever, he was being proven right. Slowly, she put her hands on top of the counter and peeked over the edge. Spotting the reflection of a wide-eyed young girl doing the same, she took another deep breath before pulling her legs underneath her and inching up enough so that she could see everything from her shoulders up. It was like looking at a distorted funhouse mirror. The features were right, but the subtle differences were giving her a headache.

Her normal male body had finally lost most of the baby fat that she'd carried around for years, but her cheeks again had that slight roundedness to them. Her nose was smaller and a little more curved, her cheekbones were more prominent, and her lips fuller and a soft rosy color. Her violet eyes seemed even bigger than before, as they were now fringed by long, sooty eyelashes. She possessed the same hair – nothing in the world could affect the Mutou family genetics in that respect – though her blonde bangs fell gracefully against the curve of her cheek, adding to an air of overall femininity that Yuugi found positively chilling. Even her skin was a shade or two paler, though that was difficult to discern when her face was flushed from the vomiting.

"Oh my Ra," she muttered, cringing at the sound of her voice even as she glanced down at her hands. As a boy, she'd always had small hands, but now her fingers were downright petite and slender. A child's hands. Yuugi made a face and continued her inspection, pointedly ignoring her midsection in favor of examining her legs. Her feet were equally tiny and her calves and thighs more slender, leading up to slightly wider hips, a flat stomach, and a distinct lack of – Yuugi gulped and squeezed her eyes shut as she slipped a hand into her boxers, groping for something that was most definitely not there.

"I'm going to fucking kill Mou Hitori no Boku when he gets back," she growled under her breath, glaring up at the ceiling as her fingers made contact with completely unfamiliar parts. Yes, kill him and then commit suicide, because there was no way in hell she was going outside like _this_. Yuugi sighed and pulled her hand free. If she didn't have that, then what else _did _she have? She glanced down at her chest and swallowed hard before rising to her feet on legs that didn't want to work very well. Slowly, she turned to face the mirror and, in one quick movement, pulled her tank top off.

"... Huh."

Not quite what she had been expecting. Yuugi blinked curiously and tilted her head. She'd never seen breasts in real life before. On the porn videos Jounouchi had leant her, yes, but even then there had been an annoying mosaic that censored out the best bits no matter how much they squinted. There was no mosaic here. Curiously, she poked one of the small mounds, watching with interest as it jiggled. It didn't hurt but it certainly looked weird. Amused, she gently pinched one of the shell pink nipples and tugged before wincing. Okay, definitely more sensitive than she had been as a guy. She dropped her hands back to her sides and looked into the mirror again, noticing that she was a lot smaller than Mai or even Anzu. They had both been gifted generously in that department, while she... well, what she had was certainly well proportioned to her petite and slender frame, but it was nothing to get up in the middle of the night about.

She wiggled her shoulders and smirked when it caused her breasts to bounce. That was entertaining for a few minutes until the bouncing began to hurt and it dawned on her what, exactly, she was doing. Groaning, Yuugi spun around, instinctively clapping a hand over her chest to stop the jiggling. "This is really happening," she whispered to herself, staring down at the floor. "I'm a girl now... and in return, Mou Hitori no Boku is coming back to me?"

The words tasted sweet on her tongue. She'd always believed that she would be fine without Yami, and indeed, for the first few months after his death she had been able to carry on as usual. But gradually, his absence had begun to weigh on her; the silence in her mind became oppressive instead of freeing and she began to long for the strong, guiding touch of her partner. The deep friendships she had once been so proud of now seemed shallow compared to what she and Yami had shared. Her friends had noticed her unusual silence, and they'd tried several times to coax her out of it, but Yuugi had rejected their advances, not wanting anyone else to share in her misery. Slowly but surely she'd built walls around herself, a barrier than no one else would be able to penetrate. No one except for a man that she had never expected to see again.

It surprised her when the first tear slipped off of her cheek and landed on her hand. Yuugi stared down at the tear in wonder before raising her other hand to her cheek, feeling the tracks that indicated she had been crying silently for some time without noticing. It had been months since she'd allowed herself to cry. She closed her eyes briefly before she twisted to face the mirror again. "Mou Hitori no Boku..." The familiar name slipped from her lips and she began to cry harder, finally unleashing all of the pain she'd kept locked up inside of her for over a year. Her knees gave out and she slumped to the ground, pressing her hands to her face.

"Yuugi? The phone is for you."

Yuugi jumped. Her throat burned when she swallowed. "The phone, Jii-chan? Please tell whoever it is to call back later," she croaked, wiping at the tears on her cheeks.

"It's Ryou-san. He sounds quite upset. I think you should speak to him if you feel well enough," Sugoroku replied.

Ryou. The one person who could sort of understand. Yuugi took a deep breath and looked around for something that would cover her well enough for her to open the door. She couldn't deal with anyone's reactions so soon. Koto's bathrobe was hanging on the back of the door and she grabbed it, winding it securely around her body before tying it in the front. Despite the fact that it was a cringe worthy shade of pink, it was fluffy enough to disguise the new changes to her body. Quickly, she splashed water on her face in an effort to hide the fact that she had been crying before she reached for the door, unlocked it, and pulled it open to come face to face with her grandfather.

Sugoroku blinked at her, his face wrinkling in concern. Clearly, he could tell that she'd been crying, but if it kept him from looking at the rest of her too closely, Yuugi didn't mind. She held out an expectant hand and, after a pause, he handed the phone over. "If you need to talk, Yuugi, I'm here," he said.

"Thanks Jii-chan." Yuugi closed the door and sank to the ground again before she brought the phone to her ear. Pitching her voice as low as it could go, she said, "Ryou-kun?"

"Yuugi-kun? Your grandfather said you weren't feeling well," Ryou said hesitantly. His voice sounded a little strange. "I'm sorry if this is a bad time."

"You could say that." Looking down at the part of herself that was visible through the gaping bathrobe, she fought the urge to laugh, knowing it would turn into hysterics far too easily. "What's up?"

"Did you... have a visitor last night?"

Yuugi froze. Now she could recognize what wasn't quite right about Ryou's voice. The usually soothing pitch was a little higher and breathier, huskier, what her grandfather would have excitedly called a 'bedroom voice'. Dear Ra, please no, but even as the plea went through her mind, she knew it was the truth. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger and said resignedly, "You wanted Bakura back, didn't you."

Ryou sighed, sounding remarkably put together considering the circumstances. "I did before I woke up this morning."

"Stay there, Ryou-kun. I'm coming over," Yuugi announced. Much as she loathed the thought of leaving the house, this was something that she had to see for herself.

"Alright. I'll be waiting."

Clicking the phone off, she looked around and decided to forego the idea of a shower. There was no way that she wanted to get any more up close and personal with this body than she had to. Instead, she wrapped herself up in the bathrobe again and cautiously opened the door, peeking through the crack. Sugoroku had gone back downstairs – no doubt it was past the time that the shop would normally be opening – and her mother's door was still closed. Relieved, Yuugi edged out into the bathroom and raced into her room, slamming the door behind her and feeling better as soon as she was safely inside.

She tossed her mother's bathrobe on her bed and grabbed a fresh pair of boxers from her dresser. They were a little loose at the waist, but it was better than nothing. One of her tighter pairs of pants fit alright, though she had a hard time getting them up over her bottom and hips. Female bodies, she decided, were a total pain in the ass. Huffing, she searched through her closet for something to cover her upper half. It wasn't going well until she finally stumbled across an old button-up shirt that had probably once belonged to Koto. How it had ended up in Yuugi's closet was a mystery, but it was the only thing that was going to fit over her chest. Yuugi slipped it on and buttoned it up quickly before she looked apprehensively into the mirror. It wasn't the best look she'd ever put together, but for a quick sprint to Ryou's house, it would do.

The last step was getting out of the house and even that was easier than she'd expected. Her grandfather was occupied in the front of the store with some customers, so Yuugi merely slipped out the back and started running... only to discover a problem when her breasts began bouncing up and down. And it _hurt_. "Damn it!" she fumed, clasping an arm across her chest. How the hell did girls put up with this kind of crap? It was infuriating.

By the time she got to Ryou's house, Yuugi was completely fed up. She didn't even bother to knock, just shoved the door open and barged right in. "Ryou-kun? I'm here!" she shouted. There was a startled crash from the kitchen and then a girl hurried out into the hall. Yuugi stopped and stared as her mind registered what she was looking at. Now, as a boy, she had always been kind of cute. Ra help the idiot who ever dared to call her that, but it was the truth. As a girl, she'd gotten downright adorable. But Ryou?

Ryou was fucking _gorgeous_.

Yuugi pouted.

Life was _so_ not fair.

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Please review! Giving me motivation gets you a chapter that much faster.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Wow, you guys are amazing. I'm totally floored by the reception that this story has been receiving. I never intended to post three chapters in one week but I suppose that's what happens with short chapters and a ton of support. This chapter brings in Ryou… I hope you enjoy.

**Note:** I realize that Change of Heart is technically a magic card. However, there are instances in the anime when it has been treated more like a monster card and that's what I'm basing this story off of.

**Second Note:** I apologize in advance if I slip up with the pronouns. It's incredibly hard to remember to use "she" and not "he". If you catch a mistake, kindly point it out so it can be corrected.

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If anyone had had the nerve to tell Bakura Ryou that he would actually miss his yami once the psycho was finally gone, Ryou would have laughed. Hard. And by the time he finally stopped laughing and wiped the tears from his eyes, half an hour would have gone by and no one would have been left to hear him declare that there was no way he would _ever_ miss Bakura. Not now, not ever. After all, there were entire periods of his life had been wiped out thanks to his yami. There were months that he couldn't remember; days where he had no idea whether he'd stayed home or gone out and murdered someone. He'd spent a fair amount of his childhood alone because Bakura had either chased people off or turned those brave enough to approach into a doll.

It wasn't until Bakura was actually gone and the initial "yes I'm finally free" phase had come to an end that reality set in, and she proved to be a harsh mistress as Ryou realized he'd never actually been alone before. Sure, murderous yamis weren't exactly the best of company, but Bakura had always _been_ there. Now he had no one. Of course, he was still friends with Yuugi, Jounouchi, Honda, Anzu, and to a much lesser extent Seto and Mokuba, but sometimes he felt like he didn't even know them that well. True, he and Yuugi had grown closer since the burial of the Millennium Items, as they had a shared pain that no one else could understand, but that didn't change the fact that in the end, he was ultimately alone.

And that scared the hell out of him.

That was why he hadn't just laughed Change of Heart out of the bedroom when the duel monster first appeared to him and made him an offer. Sacrifice something to get Bakura back? Why would he ever want to do that? Ryou was about two seconds away from saying a very firm no thank you, really, get the hell out of my room when something caught his attention. As always, his house was unnaturally silent. It was a large house considering that they lived in Japan, and it never felt emptier than when he was in bed, alone, in the dark. The expression of knowing sympathy in Change of Heart's eyes had gotten to him, even though he'd never admit it, but in spite of that and the overwhelming loneliness, he'd stood firm.

He meant to say no.

Somehow, the word 'yes' had come out instead.

It hurt. Ryou hadn't known that kind of intense, burning pain for a long time. He remembered screaming, remembered distantly thinking that for once it was actually a good thing that no one lived with him because they would've thought that he was being tortured or murdered. Change of Heart had hovered over him while he thrashed around on the bed, and the duel monster had stroked his forehead and then vanished before he had the chance to beg it to stay. The loneliness, stronger than ever, had rolled over him then, taking him off to a dream filled with shadows and nightmares and a pain that burned him alive.

The next morning, he woke up early and knew immediately that something wasn't right before he even got out of bed. His body felt strangely off balance when he stood up and the reason for it was spectacularly apparent. His pyjama top now had a very noticeable swell in the chest area where there hadn't been one before. Ryou gulped and swallowed hard, closing his eyes for several long minutes before he found the strength to walk over to his full length mirror and look into it. The room spun as _she_ silently categorized the changes staring back at her, noting the slender shoulders, curlier hair, wider hips, tapered waist, longer fingers and nails, and the prominent mounds on her chest. For the first time, she thought about the picture of her mother that she kept hidden away in her desk and realized that for girls that kind of thing had to be genetic. How interesting.

Then she had a very mild (not) panic attack wherein almost every dish in her kitchen got shattered in some way. Bakura would have been proud, no doubt, to see his normally calm and composed hikari madly chucking things at the wall and cursing the fact that he had ever existed. When she was done, Ryou fell heavily against the counter, feeling drained, and reached for the phone to call Yuugi. Their conversation was painfully short, but it felt good to know that Yuugi was coming; it gave her the strength to clean up the mess that she'd made. She was nearly finished by the time that she heard the door open and Yuugi's voice calling out. Or at least, she _thought_ it was Yuugi. The higher, sweeter voice was something she was completely unaccustomed to, and she set her things down with a clatter and hurried out of the kitchen to see.

For a long moment, the two hikaris just stopped, frozen, and stared at each other.

"No fair," Yuugi said finally, a pout gracing her full lips. "You're bigger than I am."

Ryou blinked at her. "What?"

Yuugi pointed. "You look more like Mai and Anzu do."

"And that's a good thing?" Ryou said sarcastically with a raised eyebrow, cupping her breasts before letting them go. They'd been driving her crazy while she was trying to clean up. Every time she reached out to do something, they got in the way. "I'm sorry, are you actually _pouting_ over the fact that I have bigger breasts than you do?"

"No," Yuugi said quickly, a becoming flush spreading across her cheeks. "That's not what I... Oh, hell, I'm sorry, Ryou-kun. I didn't mean... My mind has been out to lunch since I woke up this morning."

"It's okay." Ryou softened slightly, knowing that if Yuugi was even half as panicked as she was over the whole situation, then some slack would be required. "Did you eat breakfast? C'mon into the kitchen and I'll see if I have anything easy to make." She led the way back into the kitchen. Yuugi's violet eyes moved curiously over what remained of the mess, but fortunately, she seemed to know better than to say anything. Instead, she sat down at the table and rested her chin on her hands while Ryou finished cleaning and then opened the refridgerator, staring blankly inside. There wasn't a lot of food left; she'd intended to go shopping after school, but at the moment she would have gladly starved instead of stepping outside. Finally, she took out a carton of eggs, deciding that she'd make some omelettes with some leftover ham and green peppers.

After a few minutes of watching, Yuugi stood up, grabbed a knife, and started chopping the pepper. "I haven't told anyone," she said, her attention focused on the cutting board. "Not even Jii-chan or my mom."

Color Ryou shocked… not. She'd met Yuugi's mother only once, and as far as Ryou was concerned she would never know how the woman like that had given birth to a sweet and gentle hikari like Yuugi. The meeting had not been a pleasant one and she'd avoided the game shop ever since. "Are you going to?" she asked warily, expertly cracking four eggs and dumping them into a small bowl. If the answer was yes, then Ryou planned to get a plane out of the country immediately.

"Nope." Yuugi shook the knife to get rid of any small pieces and then pushed the neat pile of peppers closer. "I'd think about telling Jii-chan if I thought he'd keep it a secret from Mom. But there's no way I want her finding out. She already hates Mou Hitori no Boku and any mention of the Puzzle. Says he was a bad influence on me. If she knew her son had become a daughter," Yuugi grimaced, "in order to bring him back, she would probably kill me and then kill him if he shows up on our doorstep."

"When," Ryou said softly. At Yuugi's confused look, she elaborated, "You said_ if_ Yami shows up."

Yuugi blinked and then looked down at the ham. "I guess I did."

"You don't believe that Yami and Bakura are coming back?" Something twisted inside of Ryou's stomach and she stopped stirring to stare intently.

"Well…" Yuugi started slicing the ham very fast, avoiding Ryou's eyes. "Bakura was sealed away, but Mou Hitori no Boku _chose_ to leave. He said it was his destiny, his time to rest. I guess I just have a hard time believing that he would want to come back to this world. I mean, there's really nothing left for him here." Her voice had grown very quiet by the time she finished speaking.

A lot of arguments went through Ryou's mind at that moment, but she didn't say anything. The bond between a yami and a hikari was complicated at best. Ra knew that no one could fully understand why she would ever want Bakura back. She began picking up pieces of the pepper and letting them drop into the eggs one by one. Finally, she said, "I don't think I'll tell my father, either. He used to say that I was too much like my sister for my own good as it is. I'd never hear the end of it."

"Quite a pair, aren't we?" said Yuugi with a grim smile, setting the knife down. She scooped up the chunks of ham and dumped them into the egg all at once. "Anyway… it's just as well you weren't planning to tell him, because I don't want anyone to know."

"Not even Jounouchi-kun and the others?" Ryou stared at her. "You don't hide anything from them!"

"That's not true." Her cheeks turned pink and Yuugi twisted away, making a big production of washing the knife off in the sink. "I guess… it's just _weird_, you know? People are going to think we're freaks. It's not like we can tell most people the truth. So what will they think? That we're either weird girls that have inexplicably dressed as boys for most of our lives, or that we went and got a sex change operation." She winced at the thought of all the bullies that would have a field day with that kind of information. "And before you say it, I know the guys would totally understand, but… I need some time to myself to absorb this first."

Ryou could understand that, but… "How are you going to hide it, though? I mean, look at us." She waved a hand between the two of them. "Some of the changes are pretty subtle but it's going to be obvious to anyone who pays attention."

"Think about what you just said," Yuugi said wryly. "And tell me why you think it's a problem again?"

The white-haired girl smirked in spite of herself. "Alright, I know Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun aren't the most observant of people, but surely Anzu-san will notice something is strange. Besides, even those two would notice these." Ryou motioned to her breasts. "I know the school uniform does nothing for everyone, but you have to give them some credit."

A triumphant smile spread across Yuugi's face, one that Ryou really did not like the look of. "I'm way ahead of you!" the petite girl crowed, flicking a blonde bang out of her eyes. "Ryou-kun, I saw this old movie on television once about a girl who was pretending to be a boy. All she had to do was taking some bandages and bind her breasts flat. We can do the same thing."

"Won't that hurt?" Ryou said uncertainly, crossing her arms in an unconscious, protective movement.

"Nah. It can't be that bad and it's the only thing that will hide these. Unless you _want_ to have Jounouchi-kun and Honda-kun staring at you like they do the other girls in the class," she said pointedly.

"Err…" It only took about two seconds for Ryou to see the validity of the plan. "Ok, you win. After breakfast we'll make a run to the pharmacy and buy some bandages and pins to hold them together. Everyone is still in school, so hopefully no one we know will see us." She studied Yuugi briefly. "Maybe I can find some hats for us to wear. And better clothing."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" Yuugi asked defensively, a familiar pout forming on her lips as her eyes went big. Ryou could literally feel herself being drawn in by the force of that pout, and she had to make herself to turn away and start pouring the omelette mixture into the frying pan to avoid giving in, already pitying Yami when the pharaoh returned. Yuugi's puppy eyes were about a hundred times more potent now and there was no doubt in Ryou's mind that her friend was going to have Yami wrapped around her little finger in less than five minutes.

"Nothing's wrong," she said, realizing that Yuugi was still waiting for an answer. "But we're girls now, Yuugi-kun, and girls pay attention to that kind of stuff. You'll draw way more attention by wearing things that don't fit properly, and in our situation, I don't think we can afford for that to happen. All it would take is for one fangirl or fanboy to recognize you as the King of Games for everything to go downhill."

Yuugi sighed. "Yeah, alright. I don't have anything else to wear, though."

This time it was Ryou's smile that was downright evil. If she only had one chance for this, she wasn't going to waste it. "Fortunately, I do."

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Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Wow you guys are so amazing. I'm trying to keep as much humour in the story as possible 'cause I know sooner or later that nasty little thing called a plot is going to sneak up on us. Let me know if you feel the story is moving too slowly… I realize that we're four chapters in and still on day one, but it's a pretty momentous day, after all. I hope this chapter gives a little more insight to why Ryou it together better than Yuugi. Enjoy!

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"I hate you."

"I know."

"No, you don't. I _hate_ you."

"Yuugi-kun, no matter how many times you say that, the situation is not going to change." Ryou lifted a hand to her mouth and tried, unsuccessfully, to cover her grin. In the mirror, she saw Yuugi's eyes narrow and knew that she had been caught. Hastily, she rearranged her features into a more composed mask, dropped her hand to her side, and added, "I'm sorry, really, I am. Nee-chan was apparently more of a girly girl than I remembered. But this is the best of what I've got."

"But I look..." Yuugi trailed off and frowned, struggling to find the right word. "_Cute_."

That one word may have been layered with a deep level of disgust, but it was nevertheless appropriate for how the petite girl looked. She was wearing a pair of jeans that fit better than the pair she'd had on before, though there was a deep pink flower stencilled on the right thigh. There had been glittery pink gems sewn on the petals of the flower, but Yuugi had gone after them with a pair of scissors when Ryou's back was turned, leaving only the thread behind. The jeans had been paired with a simple white tank top and a pink cardigan in the same shade as the flower. Just barely visible under the tank top was the edge of a flowery pink bra. Ryou reached out to adjust it and Yuugi slapped her hand away.

"Don't!" she exclaimed, sounding horrified. "Don't touch me again. I can't think of what you could do to make it worse but I'm sure you could find something."

Ryou rolled her eyes. "Now you're being ridiculous. You think I _enjoy_ dressing this way?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips. She was wearing jeans as well, though Yuugi had been quick to point out that Ryou's were missing any stencils. Her top was a clingy, scoop-necked pale blue thing with ruffled sleeves; Yuugi's revenge for the lack of said stencilled flower. In the most masculine way possible, Ryou had to admit that both of them looked depressingly good.

"I'm starting to wonder." Yuugi folded her arms and pouted. "I really don't want to go out this way, Ryou-kun. What if someone sees us?"

"At this rate, we better get used to it, because I don't see things changing anytime soon," Ryou said wearily, running a brush through her hair. Fortunately for both of them, her father had never gotten around to getting rid of Amane's or her mother's old things. She and Yuugi had had plenty of clothing and under things to choose from, but Ryou didn't have the heart to tell Yuugi that she was wearing things an eleven-year-old that had developed early had once worn.

Really, it was almost like having their own personal store that was just upstairs... one with an extensive lingerie section. She shuddered at the thought, having seen more of her mother's underwear than she'd ever wanted to, and squirmed a little. Bras were a lot less comfortable than she'd thought. It didn't help that the one she was wearing was a bit tight, while Yuugi's was really too large. But since neither of them was willing to even contemplate the thought of going bra shopping... Ryou shuddered again and set the brush aside. Bandages were sounding better and better.

Yuugi muttered something under her breath about Yami and sighed, running a hand through her hair. Instead of being stuck up in her normal spikes, Ryou had displayed a surprising amount of skill in using water and an old flat iron that had once belonged to her mother to subdue it. Her hair now hung in waves to just past her shoulders, a fascinating study in color: golden bangs that she was continually brushing out of her eyes, raven black from root to about three quarters of the way down, and then a reddish violet at the tip. Though there was no denying that the new look complimented her, she didn't care for it; she felt that it made her look unbearably girly. But the tell-tale spikes would have been a dead giveaway.

"Let's just go and get this over with," she mumbled, stomping over to the door. Ra but this was _completely_ humiliating. If anyone that they knew saw and recognized them, there was no way that either of them would ever live it down. And yet, her mind wouldn't shut up and kept dwelling on the fact that if the change was permanent, it would be inevitable. There was no way that she and Ryou could pretend to be guys forever; at some point, someone somewhere would catch on, and it would be a slow, downward spiral from there. The thought was utterly terrifying.

Ryou caught up to her while she was yanking her sneakers on and pressed a white baseball cap down over Yuugi's head. She tugged the bill down as far as it would go and grumbled a thanks before walking out the door while Ryou was putting her shoes on. The elderly woman next door was outside watering her garden, and Yuugi froze when the woman turned around to look, fighting down the urge to bolt back inside and hide. Fortunately, Ryou stepped outside at that moment and locked it behind them. When she turned around, she nearly walked straight into Yuugi.

"What are you doing now?" she asked, utterly exasperated, following the direction of Yuugi's gaze. She rolled her eyes and shoved at Yuugi's shoulders, forcing her friend to move while tossing a friendly wave at her neighbour. "Yuugi-kun, you are officially being ridiculous."

"How can you not be more upset about this?" Yuugi demanded, reluctantly allowing herself to be towed along. Out of everyone, she had thought that Ryou would understand how demeaning this situation was. All her life, Yuugi had been tormented by bullies for being small and 'weak'. Ryou, who looked somewhat feminine even when she was a boy, had to have faced similar comments. Now that they were female, it felt like every accusation that had ever been lobbed her way had come true. The very idea made her insides shrivel up.

"You want to know why?" Ryou stopped pulling her and spun around. Her brown eyes were blazing and she'd clearly reached her limit. "Because I want Bakura back! Hell if I know why: the man drove me bloody crazy while he was here. He took over my mind constantly and made my life a disaster. No one trusted me and no one wanted to be around me and for good reason. I was resigned to being alone forever, but at least Bakura was still there. He was _always_ there and now he's not!" She stopped abruptly and took a deep breath, blinking rapidly. "Look, Yuugi-kun, I am every bit as upset about this as you are. I think it's awful and horrible and yes, part of me wants to hide in a room and lock the door so that no one can ever see me this way. But if this is what it takes to get the other half of me back so that I can stop being so damn _empty_, then so be it. I'll learn to live with it just like I have everything else every other day of my life!"

Mouth open, Yuugi just stared at her panting friend for several seconds, too stunned to reply. "R-Ryou-kun, I..."

"Sorry." Ryou cut her off before Yuugi could finish her sentence. She brushed a hand over her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. I guess I've just been... It's a little much, that's all."

"No, don't apologize. You were right." Yuugi lowered her eyes to the ground, feeling foolish. Surely, no matter how much of humiliating disaster this was, it was worth getting Yami back? How many nights had she lain in bed silently praying for even a _chance_ that he would return? And now that she'd gotten it, she was taking her fear and panic out on someone who didn't deserve it at all. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't mean to make things so hard for you while we were getting dressed. I know you're doing the best you can and I appreciate that." She attempted a weak smile. "If I were all alone in this, I'd probably still be huddled on the bathroom floor trying not to throw up."

"It's alright. I think we're both a little tense and said things that we didn't mean. Let's just forget about it for now, okay?"

Yuugi nodded and fell into step beside her. They walked the rest of the way to the store without saying a word. Fortunately for their nerves, it was only about a ten minute walk. Ryou was feeling a little more at ease by the time they got there, and she could tell that Yuugi felt the same way. Being a girl wasn't really so different from being a boy, at least on the surface. No one had given them a second glance, which meant they had to look at least semi-normal. She stood a little taller as the tension eased from her shoulders and pulled the door to the store open without hesitation.

"You go find the bandages and something to hold them shut," she instructed. "I've got to get some food or we're going to starve. Meet you by the cash in fifteen minutes?" They split up and Ryou walked over to the food section carrying a basket on her arm. Their breakfast seemed like it had been hours ago and she was trying to figure out what would make a good, quick lunch when she heard something that made her stiffen.

"Nii-sama, _please_? Amaya-san said she would make cookies for me if we bought the ingredients."

"Oh Ra, please no." Ryou squeezed her eyes shut briefly, praying to all the gods that might be listening that she had not just heard that. "Please… please… please…" Slowly, she glanced over her shoulder. It seemed her prayers were in vain.

"Mokuba, cookies aren't good for you." Kaiba Seto was standing about five feet away, staring down at his younger brother with an exasperated expression. He looked incredibly out of place in such a normal setting like the grocery store and Ryou had to wonder what he was doing there. She watched out of the corner of her eye as Mokuba clapped his hands together and looked up with the second-best pair of puppy eyes she'd ever seen. Ryou fought back a grin at the look on Seto's face and picked up a package of bread before moving away. As tempting as it was to stay and watch Seto be beaten into submission, Yuugi would freak out if she knew that the Kaiba brothers were around, and for good reason. Seto was too damn smart for his own good. It was time to leave.

She tracked Yuugi down near the pharmacy. The shorter girl was leaning against the wall and looking annoyed. "Seriously, Anzu-chan, I'm_ fine_," she was saying in exasperation, her voice pitched as low it would go. "You guys don't need to come see me just because I stayed home for one day. I was just overtired when I woke up this morning and Jii-chan thought I could use a day off. Yes. Yes, I said, I'm telling you the truth! Tomorrow? But… Oh, alright. Okay. Bye."

"They track you down already?" Ryou asked, amused. It must have been lunchtime at the school.

"Yes. I love having friends but sometimes I wish I could have gotten ones that were a little less nosey." Yuugi shut her phone with a snap. "Anzu-chan wanted to come over and make sure I wasn't too sick. I managed to put her off but now she wants me to meet them at Burger World tomorrow and she's probably going to call you asking the same thing." She looked kind of sick.

Ryou felt the stirrings of panic in her stomach, though she tried to remain outwardly calm. "I'm sure it'll be fine. We have a whole day to get our disguises down. They won't notice a thing!" Her voice was filled with a fake confidence that didn't fool either of them. Anzu had the tendency to spot the smallest of details, usually things that you would prefer that she _not _pay attention to, and if there was anyone in their group of friends who was going to catch on to the fact that something wasn't quite right, it would be her. They exchanged despairing looks before Ryou reached out and took the supplies that Yuugi had gathered together. As she dumped them into her basket, her cell phone rang.

"Good luck." Yuugi took the basket and hooked it over her arm as Ryou sighed and pulled her phone out of her pocket, wishing that she'd forgotten the stupid thing at home.

"Anzu-chan!" she said as cheerfully as possible. It was considerably more difficult when she was trying to force her voice to sound lower. "No, I'm alright. I... I was up doing some things quite late last night. Yes. Oh, um, tomorrow? I don't know if I – ow!" She glared at Yuugi and reached down to rub her ankle. "Okay, okay, yes I'll meet you at Burger World tomorrow. Sounds good. Bye. Damn it, Yuugi-kun that hurt!" Ryou pouted, shoving her phone into the pocket of her jeans. "You didn't have to kick me so – Yuugi-kun, what's wrong?"

Yuugi wasn't paying any attention to Ryou's admonishment; she was too busy staring over Ryou's shoulder with a look of stark horror on her face. Ryou had the feeling that she knew what – or rather, _who_ – would be there before she turned around. It was rather tempting to drop the basket, grab Yuugi, and make a run for it, but she forced herself to look over her shoulder instead.

Sure enough, Kaiba Seto was standing about two feet away, staring straight at them.

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Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** You guys rock, and because you're so awesome I got this chapter out a day early for you. I'm nervous to post it, thought, because everyone was looking forward to Seto so much and I can only hope that I did him justice. Be forewarned that he won't be that ice-cold bastard some people make him out to be because I really don't see him that way; he's totally got a softer side. Enjoy!

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At approximately 7:30am that morning, shortly before his brother would be getting out of the limo for yet another school day, Mokuba looked up at him and announced that he had the afternoon off. Seto experienced the very distinct desire to pull the car door open and dive out, regardless of the fact that it was still moving. He would have rather taken his chances with the road than be trapped in the same general area as Kaiba Mokuba when he got_ that_ look on his face. The look that said 'I feel like you've been neglecting me and to make up for it, I'm going to go wild on sugar and torment you endlessly'.

Seriously, no one loved their brother more than Kaiba Seto, but there were some limits that even the world's youngest and most stubborn CEO couldn't handle.

"Pleeeeaaaase, Nii-sama?" Mokuba whined loudly, slapping his puppy eyes on. It was an act he had perfected after being in contact with those losers (aka Mutou Yuugi and friends), and Seto ground his teeth together, hating _those losers_ more by the minute. Their driver made an obvious effort to suppress a laugh by hastily turning it into a cough and he made a mental note to have the man fired as Mokuba added, "You've been really busy with work all week. I know your school won't care if you take the afternoon off. I have a surprise planned for us and you'll love it." He leaned forward and clapped his hands together. "Please?"

Seto meant to say no. He really did. "Alright."

"Yes!" Dark eyes lit up with excitement. Mokuba practically jumped in his lap and gave him an enthusiastic hug goodbye before he threw the door open and bounded outside. Seto stared down at his lap and wondered what had just happened.

That was how, several hours later, he came to find himself standing in the most common of grocery stores, listening to his younger brother whine for the ingredients to make cookies. Apparently this happened to be the only store in Domino City that sold the special peanut butter and chocolate chips that Mokuba had a mild (huge) obsession with. In an effort to deal with said growing obsession, their cook had made him promise to swear off cookies unless he could make Seto buy the ingredients. Hence the 'special' trip to the grocery store, complete with a huge set of puppy eyes and a headache that Seto wouldn't have wished on his worst enemy.

"Mokuba..." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, uncomfortably aware that Mokuba's behaviour was attracting a little more attention than was desirable. It was doubtful that any of these people actually recognized either one of them, but that didn't make it any less mortifying. "Sugar isn't good for you and at your last visit to the dentist you had three cavities. Three."

"But..." Mokuba pouted and crossed his arms. "I promise I'll take better care of my teeth. I just want some cookies. Come on, please? I know you like them too."

Technically true, but that was neither here nor there. He was about to say as much when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of long white hair. His gut clenched and he very nearly backed up a step before he remembered that all that business with the Millennium Items was done and buried – literally. Not that he'd believed it in the first place (it was supposedly magic and magic did not exist, after all), but when it came to someone like Yami Bakura it was always better to be safe than sorry. He continued eyeing the boy cautiously as Mokuba gleefully took his silence for assent and started piling sugar and flour into their cart. His initial assessment was that it was that odd, quiet friend of Yuugi's, but then the person turned and he realized he'd been mistaken. Weird though Yuugi's friends usually were, he knew that there were no _girls_ with white hair amongst the losers.

Still, it was unusual enough to nag at him, and he trailed after the girl when she walked away, leaving Mokuba to his own devices. The girl didn't seem to notice that he was following her. She collected a few more things and then walked briskly over to the cash registers, where there was another girl waiting for her. A girl with black hair tipped in violet and golden bangs, a girl that was unquestionably Mutou Yuugi. That was about the point where his mind stuttered to a complete stop, and it was another minute or two before he stopped staring in outright shock and actually started listening.

When Yuugi caught sight of him, it would have been amusing at any other time to see the way her face turned white. Hope warred with reality before Seto gave her the best cold look he possessed to let her know that yes, he had heard. She visibly deflated, her shoulders slumping, and said something to the white-haired girl before she came over to him. Without saying a word, she took his hand and pulled him outside. Normally that was the kind of behaviour that he wouldn't have tolerated from anyone but Mokuba, but he was distracted by the sight of… well,_ her_. It was utterly bizarre to see a female Mutou Yuugi and he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know how she'd gotten this way. Unfortunately, Yuugi didn't give him the chance to decide.

"Dark Magician came to see me last night and offered me a chance to sacrifice something to get Yami back and when I woke up this morning I looked like this and Ryou did the same thing to get Bakura back and oh my god please don't tell anyone," she blurted out in a rush.

It took a moment for his brain to catch up. When it did, he gave her a look of pure disbelief. "You're like this… _willingly_?"

"No!" Her cheeks flushed pink. "Well, yes. I guess, technically. I didn't know that this is what Dark Magician had in mind. He wouldn't tell me what I would have to give up."

For good reason, as he hoped that not even_ Yuugi_ would be that self-sacrificing. Seto folded his arms, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. He'd done an excellent job of denying the fact that magic existed no matter what evidence he was presented with, but it was pretty hard to deny what was standing right in front of him. Not when he'd seen Yuugi the day before at school and _she_ had most definitely been a _he_ at the time. No science in the world could do change someone's sex so quickly. Was there the possibility that this was a disguise of some kind? "So you're hoping I'll keep it a secret from your circle of losers."

She winced but didn't bother to scold him. "Please, Kaiba. We're not ready for them to know yet."

"You shouldn't have accepted if you weren't willing to pay the consequences." He couldn't resist pointing it out as he ran his eyes over her body, searching for some hint of an slip-up, for_ something_ that he could point out as being evidence to the contrary of what she was trying to tell him. But there was nothing, and yet it was _all there_ in the subtle details that he was a master at noticing. There was no other conclusion. Magic. Seto swallowed hard as he stared down at her and, before he could stop it, the question had slipped out. "You did this to get the Pharaoh back. Why?"

"What do you mean, why? He's my friend." Yuugi folded her arms.

His eyes narrowed slightly. "So, hypothetically, putting aside the fact that I do not believe in your magic crap, if Jou or Anzu had been the ones who were gone and this same 'chance' was offered to you, would you take it?"

Yuugi hesitated for a split second, indecision flickering across her face before she offered a weak, "Of course."

Right. Clearly lying was something that female Yuugi sucked at just as much as male Yuugi had. He raised an eyebrow. "And if Dark Magician appeared to you right now and offered you the chance to return to being male if it meant _he_ wouldn't come back, would you?"

Her silence spoke volumes.

Now, it's true that Kaiba Seto did not know a lot about friendship, but he did have some experience when it came to people in general. He had a minor background in psychology; his stepfather had considered it necessary in order to run a company like Kaiba Corp, where anyone and everyone could stab you in the back without the slightest hint of warning. It was one of the reasons that he was so scornful about the idea of the fantasy friendship that Yuugi constantly tried to press on him. Friends were just people in a better position to turn on you. But even Seto, who would never admit that he might be a little closer to Yuugi and a select few others than he would have liked, knew that _this_ was a level of loyalty that a mere friend did not - could not - deserve. It was a level that _Yami_ didn't deserve.

"Please, Seto," Yuugi said in a small voice. She'd never called him by his given name before but somehow, he didn't feel the urge to get angry at her for it. "You don't have to _do_ anything. Just... don't tell anyone."

"On one condition."

Yuugi bit her lip. "What would that be?"

"When Yami," he curled his lip, "returns, I want a duel with him."

"Really? That's it? Sure." A very tiny smile crossed her face. "I'm sure Mou Hitori no Boku would never say no to a duel with you. Thank you."

He just nodded and started to turn away.

"Seto."

Seto paused and closed his eyes briefly. "What?"

"We're meeting at Burger World tomorrow, at lunch, if you and Mokuba want to come."

He didn't bother to dignify that with an answer as Mokuba walked out of the store carrying two loaded bags that were no doubt filled with enough ingredients to make a couple hundred cookies. Mokuba shot Yuugi a curious look as he approached, but Seto put a hand on his shoulder and ushered him along to the car. While his younger brother was climbing in, he couldn't resist turning to look back. The white-haired girl – Bakura Ryou, he assumed – had also come out of the store and was now standing beside Yuugi. Both of them were watching him. There was a curiously heavy feeling in his chest when he met their eyes, and he shook his head in disgust as he pointedly looked away and got into the car.

"Nii-sama?" Mokuba said, staring down at the bags as the driver pulled smoothly away from the curb.

"Yes, Mokuba."

"What that Yuugi-san?"

"Yes, Mokuba."

"Oh, okay… Nii-sama? You're going to take away everything I bought when we get home, aren't you?"

"Yes, Mokuba."

**INC**

Yuugi felt surprisingly light-hearted as she watched the two Kaiba brothers head back towards the car. Part of her had been dreading the confrontation with Seto, but it had gone much better than she had expected. Granted, there had been a few minutes when she'd actually thought that Seto might pass out from the shock of being forced to face the fact that magic might be real, but he'd remained standing and shockingly receptive to the idea of helping them out by keeping quiet. The only thing he had asked for in return for his silence was a duel with Yami, which probably would have happened at some point anyway.

"What did he say?" Ryou's voice came from right behind her, and when Yuugi turned around her friend was standing so close that their shoes brushed.

"It's alright. He said he wouldn't tell anyone," said Yuugi. In retrospect, if someone had to find them out, she was glad it was Seto. He would keep his word, she was certain of that, and it wasn't like he really had anyone to tell. She couldn't really picture him actively seeking out Anzu or Jou to tell them what had happened even if he did change his mind. "Of course, I expect Mokuba will know, but that's not a big deal."

Ryou looked relieved. "Thank goodness. I didn't know what to think when I saw him standing right behind us."

"Me either." She took some of the bags from Ryou's hands and started walking back towards the house, unwillingly remembering the intense, knowing look on Seto's face when he'd asked her about those hypothetical situations. It made her feel a little uncomfortable but she didn't understand why. Of course she wouldn't give up if it meant Yami could return, no matter how awful being a girl was. Yami was her other half! And, okay, she'd lied a little; as much as she would have missed Anzu and Jou if they were gone, Yuugi would make sacrifices for Yami that she wouldn't make for anyone else. But then again, Seto was whole, so he wouldn't be able to comprehend that. That's all it was.

... Right?

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Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I remain bowled over by the reviews you guys send and humbled by your increasing awesomeness! I figured we could all use a Monday pick-me-up, but before you read the chapter, I'd like to take a moment to clarify a few things. 1. Yami and Bakura will not be returning for a while yet. 2. Malik will be in the story. 3. Malik will** not** be a girl, as this story is taking place in a canon setting and thus, he wouldn't want Yami Malik back. A lot of people have been asking me those questions so now we're all on the same page. Enjoy!

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It had been a full twenty-four hours since Mutou Yuugi first woken up as a girl, and the nightmare had not abated. When her alarm had gone off that morning, she'd lingered in bed, convinced that yesterday's drama had been some awful, distant dream until she realized that it was, in fact, a very cruel reality that she could no longer avoid. It was only made worse by the fact that the night before she'd stayed at Ryou's for hours, until it was so late that she had to sneak into her room to avoid notice from her grandfather or her mother. Doubtless she'd catch it from them as soon as she went downstairs, but as long as neither of them noticed that something was different, they could yell at her until their throats were raw.

That's right. It was time for the first test of her disguise, and considering that Seto and Mokuba already knew what was going on, Yuugi was experiencing some higher-than-healthy levels of paranoia. She was ninety-nine percent certain that she and Ryou had concocted the best disguises possible, but were they good enough? Not for the first time, she looked herself over with narrowed eyes. Her hair was back up in the normal spikes, and she was relieved to note that her old hairstyle took a degree of femininity away from her face. After some experimentation, she'd bound her breasts as flat as possible using the bandages and pins that they had bought the night before; it wasn't exactly comfortable, but it would do, as the alternative did not bear thinking about.

Unfortunately, the clothing she was wearing – jeans and a t-shirt – didn't fit her that well. Granted, they had been a little loose when she was male, but now it was worse. The jeans were loose around her waist, tight at the hips, and a little too long in the legs. Apparently she'd lost another inch or two, which was just_ fantastic_ considering that she was already one of the shortest people in her high school. At least with her breasts bound the shirt actually fit, though it was in danger of sliding off one of her shoulders pretty much all the time.

"This sucks," she muttered, slowly opening the door. If it weren't for the fact that Anzu had made her promise she'd be at Burger World (and that her friends would come looking if she didn't show up), she would've gone straight back to bed. Instead, she walked down the stairs and took a couple of deep breaths before stepping into the kitchen. Koto and Sugoroku both turned to stare at her. Yuugi's stomach twisted with nerves and she dropped her voice to mumble, "Good morning."

"Morning, Yuu-chan," said her mother with a curious look. "Come sit down at the table with us while we have lunch."

"I don't have very long," Yuugi cautioned, but she sat down anyway.

"What time did you come in last night? You know I don't like it when you go out with your friends after school and don't call me," Koto continued, turning back to the counter.

Yuugi blinked at her and then shot a quick look at her grandfather. He winked at her and she relaxed, feeling a wave of gratitude that he had covered for her. "Sorry, Kaa-san. By the time I realized it was so late I knew that you two would be in bed. I hope I didn't make you worry too much." She leaned back as Koto set a glass of milk down in front of her.

"It's alright, Yuu-chan. Just try not to do it again." Koto sat down with two sandwiches. She put one in front of Sugoroku and then glanced at Yuugi, who was pulling the collar of her shirt back up onto her shoulder. A concerned frown tugged at her lips and she blew her breath out in a sigh. "What are you and your friends up to today?"

"We're meeting at Burger World," said Yuugi, picking up her glass and taking a long drink. The cold milk went a long way towards settling her nerves. "I should go, though, we're meeting at noon." As she spoke, there was a knock at the back door. She glanced at her watch, realizing that it was later than she had thought, and stood up. "That's probably Ryou."

"Okay. You know, we're going to have to go shopping for you soon," Koto observed.

Startled, Yuugi turned and stared at her in alarm. "Huh?"

"Your clothes, Yuu-chan. They're not fitting you very well anymore. I didn't notice until now, but they've gotten to be quite large on you." She stood up and walked over to Yuugi, pinching a piece of loose fabric and tugging on it for emphasis. "Strange. It's like you suddenly lost a lot of weight."

"Must just be one of those things," Yuugi muttered weakly, stepping backwards. "I'm going. Bye, Kaa-san, Jii-chan." Avoiding their questioning eyes, she turned and hurried out of the room. She felt guilty for making them worry, but not to the point where she was willing to explain _why_ her clothing suddenly didn't fit anymore. No, that was a conversation that would hopefully never happen, she thought, sliding her feet into her sneakers and opening the door.

"Good morning, Yuugi-kun," Ryou greeted with a tired smile as Yuugi stepped outside. "How was your night?"

"I was so nervous I don't think I slept at all." Closing the door behind her, Yuugi looked over at her friend, noticing that Ryou was suffering from some of the same wardrobe malfunctions that she was. "Do you think... we look okay?"

"It will have to do. I don't have enough money to go out and buy a whole new set of clothes." Making an annoyed face, Ryou pushed the sleeve of her shirt back up for about the fifteenth time. The sleeves were now a little too long for her arms, and she was trying to keep them rolled up to avoid having anyone notice that her arms had magically shrunk – literally. But they kept sliding back down and it was driving her crazy. "I was trying to think of a way to ask Father for some extra money, but I'm worried it might make him think he needs to come home for a visit. I'd rather deal with wearing clothes that are too big."

Yuugi sighed. "Kaa-san just told me that she thinks we're going to have to go shopping," she confided, falling into step beside Ryou. "Talk about a disaster waiting to happen. There's no way I'll be able to keep her from noticing that I'm smaller than I used to be. I think I'm a whole two inches shorter now." The words were spoken with a definite note of sourness. She'd always been petite and now it was just ridiculous.

"Amane used to tell me that's why girls wear heels."

"Haha, so not going to happen." Yuugi shuddered at the thought. She might have been a girl now, but that did not mean she had to look, dress or act like one anymore than was absolutely necessary. "Just another reason why I'm not sure Kaa-san should know what happened. She used to tell me all the time when I was a kid that she always regretted not having a daughter."

There was a moment's pause and then Ryou lifted a hand to cover her mouth. "Oh my god, now you _have_ to tell her!" she squeaked, unable to keep from laughing. "I would pay to be able to see her dress you up."

"I'm not a doll!" In spite of her protest, Yuugi couldn't keep herself from grinning. It felt good to hear Ryou laugh. Things had been rather tense between them the night before, to the point where Yuugi hadn't spent the night because they were both snapping at each other. A good night's sleep had gone a long way towards mending that, and now that Ryou was with her, she didn't feel quite so nervous. She cast Ryou a sideways look, realizing that she was suddenly, unequivocally, relieved that her friend had chosen to make the same sacrifice for Bakura.

"What?" Ryou had caught the look. "Is it not working? Can you still see something?" She indicated her chest, looking apprehensive. "I must have re-tied the bandages about ten times this morning before I thought it looked okay, but it's so hard to judge."

"No, you look fine," said Yuugi hastily, averting her eyes. "No one would know unless they're examining you really closely, and if they're examining you _that _closely, I think you have permission to slap them anyway so it shouldn't matter."

Ryou smirked and glanced up, sucking in a sharp breath. "Okay, here we go."

Yuugi made a sound that was most definitely not a whimper and quelled the rush of anxiety that made her want to grab Ryou's hand for reassurance. It might have been alright for girls to do that, but that had never been acceptable guy behaviour. She tucked her hands into her pockets in compensation and strode forward through the automatic doors with Ryou on her heels. Even though the place was swarming with teenagers - and had been ever since an enormous arcade had moved into the building next door - it took her no time at all to spot Anzu, Jou, and Honda. Anzu was scolding Jou and Honda was sitting back and watching with a broad grin that suggested he may have been the cause for said scolding.

"Hey guys," Yuugi ventured once they were close enough.

"Yuugi!" Anzu glanced up with a broad grin, allowing Jou the chance to escape her ire. "And Ryou-kun. How are you guys today?"

"I feel much better than I did yesterday," Ryou said, sliding into the booth beside Honda. It was one of those double-wide booths that had two tables side by side, allowing for eight people total. Yuugi sat down beside her, leaning her back against the vinyl and stretching her legs out into the space between the tables.

"Me too." It was an honest answer, surprisingly. Yuugi smiled at Anzu, who was sitting on the opposite of the second table in one of the chairs. "Have you guys eaten yet?"

"No, Anzu made us wait until you got here," Jou scowled at the brunette. "I've been dying of starvation but did she care? Noooo."

Anzu rolled her eyes. "You're hardly starving," she remarked, amused. "I saw you scarfing down that chocolate bar you won from the crane machine!"

"It was a chocolate bar, Anzu, not a burger!"

Yuugi's smile grew and she relaxed now that they were all sitting down together. No one was pointing at her and observing that she looked noticeably different; actually, if anyone had noticed anything they were doing a good job of hiding it. "Why don't we all order now?" she suggested peacefully, hoping to stop another fight before it got under way. "I'm hungry."

"Excellent idea." Jou beamed. "I'm seriously _starving_ here."

"The mutt's hungry. Why am I not surprised?"

Jou tensed at the unexpected voice as a tall shadow fell over their tables. "What are_ you_ doing here?" he growled, less than impressed.

Seto smirked, unperturbed by the furious amber eyes trying to burn a hole through him, and leaned casually against the side of the booth. "Yuugi invited us," he replied.

"Err…" Yuugi shrank back against Ryou when Jou's head whipped around, pinning her with an icy glare. "He _is _our friend, Jou."

"Kaiba has no friends," Jou snapped.

"Jou!" Yuugi, Ryou and Anzu said together.

"All I hear is the barking of a mutt," said Seto, waving a bored hand. His sapphire blue eyes were distinctly cool. "If you must know, I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Mokuba. He's the one who insisted on coming. I have better things to do with my time than hanging around with _you _all day. As it is, I can feel my I.Q. dropping just from being in close proximity to you."

The blond stared up at him, eyes darting from Seto to Mokuba, who had run over to join the crowd gathered around the newest game. "Yeah, whatever, Kaiba," he mumbled at last, rising to his feet. He shoved his hands in his pockets and meandered past the brunette, careful to keep a suitable distance between them.

Anzu sighed. "Please sit down, Kaiba," she said. "Yuugi, Ryou-kun, I'll get your usual. Come on, Honda. You can help me carry the food."

Only once the two of them were gone did Seto finally sit down, sliding into the place where Jou had been. He set his briefcase down on the table and snapped the top up, revealing a laptop. Bending over it and hunching his shoulders, he proceeded to ignore the both Yuugi and Ryou by typing furiously. Yuugi just sighed and brushed her bangs out of her face. It was a step in the right direction, sort of. At least Seto was there in the restaurant with them. But sometimes she truly wondered whether Seto and Jou would ever be able to tolerate each other and if it was even worth trying.

Ryou nudged her in the ribs. Yuugi blinked, realizing she was still pressed up against her friend, and scooted away as Ryou said, "Alright?"

"Yeah, I think so." She reached out and snagged Anzu's water bottle, unscrewing the top and taking a sip. Her throat felt dry. "What do you think?"

"No one has noticed," Seto said without looking up. "Mazaki and Honda are too preoccupied with keeping the peace, and the mutt isn't smart enough for that."

"Thank you for that, Seto," Yuugi muttered, wondering if it had been such an intelligent idea to invite him along after all. She drank a bit more of the water and then froze as a peculiar but very distinct feeling made itself known to her. "Shit."

"What's wrong?" Ryou asked.

Yuugi glanced at Seto to make sure that he wasn't paying attention before she leaned towards Ryou and whispered, "I have to pee."

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Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** Wow, I can't believe this story hit a hundred reviews! I continue to be amazed. A couple people have asked me a very strange question… they want to know if Yuugi and Ryou will become pregnant with Yami and Bakura and that's how they're returning. Err… no? I have no idea where this came from but since two different people asked I thought I should address it and make clear that no, that will not happen in any way. Just… no. Also, the bathroom is modeled after a western one, because I've never been into a girl's room in Japan, much less a boy's room. Enjoy!

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It took a minute for the words to sink in, and once they had, Ryou's doe brown eyes went wide and she leaned back. She gave Yuugi a helpless look and shrugged her shoulders, which didn't help at all, but then again, what would? Yuugi bit her lip as she slipped off of the bench and stood up, sliding past Seto and heading back to where the public bathrooms were. They were near the back of the restaurant, which was helpful, but still in clear view of the counter and anyone in the arcade who happened to look up, meaning that the chances of her slipping into the girl's room unobserved were slim to none. And what would she do if she met a girl in there while she was disguised as a boy? That wouldn't end well.

Besides that, Yuugi wasn't sure she was really ready to go into the girl's room. What if she _saw_ something? The thought made her cringe and she put her hand on the handle of the boy's room instead, pushing the door open warily. There were men inside the room using the urinals, and she gulped, pointedly staring down at the floor as she walked hastily over to one of the two stalls. She stepped inside and slammed the door behind her, locking it with fingers that shook and thinking that maybe she should have re-thought this plan. Not once in the past thirty-some hours that she'd been a girl had she been as aware of her missing 'equipment' as she was at that moment.

"This cannot be my life, seriously," she muttered, unhooking her jeans. It was bizarre to have to sit down to use the bathroom and it was something she wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. But it wasn't like she could go out and use one of the urinals even if the room was empty; how would you ever aim properly?

The door opened and closed a few times while she was peeing, and the sound of men's voices made her wince every time she heard them, especially when she thought about how much they would all freak out if they realized that there was a girl in the room. Yuugi smirked to herself as she stood up and pulled her jeans back up. It wouldn't matter at all that she wouldn't be interested in the slightest, since now that she was a girl she'd had a closer examination of both bodies than most people would get in a lifetime! Grinning, she flushed the toilet and opened up the stall door. Immediately, she wished she hadn't.

Jou was standing at one of the urinals, using it. He looked up at her and grinned. Yuugi could practically _feel _her cheeks turning a blazing shade of pink as she glanced away, fighting the urge to cover her eyes, and stumbled over to the bathroom sinks. The mirrors were perfectly positioned to show the reflection of the men right behind her - who the hell had designed this place? They needed to be fired immediately - and her bright red face. She hunched her shoulders and quickly turned the tap on, beginning the fastest bout of hand washing ever.

"Hey, Yuugi." Jou ambled up beside her as he adjusted his zipper. Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice that there was anything wrong. "Look, I'm sorry for acting like that with Kaiba. It's just a natural defense when he starts acting like a jerk. The guy gets on my nerves and I have no idea why you would want to be friends with him, but if you really like the guy, I can try to accept it."

It was too bad that Yuugi had forbidden herself from looking up, as she would have really liked to have given her friend a warm smile at that moment. Instead, she kept her eyes on her hands and said, "Thank you, Jou. I know you really don't like him, but I think there's a good person inside of Seto waiting to come out. All it will take is the right incentive. He's too sweet when he's around Mokuba for him to be really be the cold-hearted bastard he wants everyone to think he is."

There was a funny look on Jou's face. "You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?"

"A little," she admitted sheepishly, drying her hands on a towel. "I guess… I think about Mou Hitori no Boku sometimes." Her heart twisted a little just saying his name. "He… He wasn't such a nice person at first, either. But he was just trying to protect me."

"You can't seriously be comparing Yami and Kaiba!"

"I know they're not completely the same but…" Yuugi walked hastily over to the bathroom door and was relieved when Jou wandered after her. "Just trust me, okay? Try to give Seto a chance."

"Yeah, okay," he agreed with a heavy sigh. "But I still think you're too trusting for your own good."

"Tell me about it," Yuugi muttered, relief spilling through her as the door swung shut behind them. Okay, sure she'd had that 'equipment' for the past seventeen years, and she'd only been without it for less than two days, but somehow that made it no less awkward. She was going to have to start going to the bathroom before she left the house and learning to hold it until she made it back home, because there was no way she was doing _that _again. Ever.

"Yuugi?"

She turned, distracted, and glanced up. "Yeah?"

He was frowning. "Are you okay?"

Yuugi tensed a little. "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno. Something just seems… different about you." Jou studied her, not entirely sure _what _was off, but aware that something had changed. Not only that, he'd seen the brief flash of pain in her eyes when she talked about Yami and it hurt knowing that she was suffering when they couldn't do anything about it. He shook his head, dismissing the former for the time being, and said, "You know… He wouldn't want you to still be thinking about him. He'd want you to move on."

"Jou, I…" Yuugi trailed off, unsure of what to say to comfort him. Because she'd tried, oh god, she'd _tried_. During those first few months, she'd forbidden herself to think about Yami in any way. She had focused on school, working in the game shop, and spending time with her friends and family, all those little things that she hadn't had time to worry about while trying to save the world. And for a little while, it had worked.

But time hadn't been healing her wounds. They had merely festered while she tried to forget, and now she was a girl because she couldn't handle being alone anymore.

The sudden swelling of warmth and blurriness around her eyes, combined with Jou's sharp intake of breath, told her that she was going to cry. Yuugi ducked her head quickly, not wanting him to see that, and blurted, "I'm sorry. I'll be right back." Before he could say anything, she turned and rushed away, moving blindly towards the door of the restaurant. Jou's voice called after her but she didn't stop until she was outside and around the corner, tucked safely in the alley beside Burger World and away from prying eyes.

Hands pressed over her face, she leaned heavily against the wall as tears slipped down her cheeks. "God, I really am a girl," she muttered, smearing the liquid in an attempt to wipe it away. Usually she was able to hide the overwhelming sense of loss and sheer loneliness better, but lately any mention of Yami was too much. Yuugi closed her eyes briefly and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I never knew that it would hurt so much, Yami," she whispered.

Something tingled across the back of her neck as she spoke. It was a familiar feeling, one seeped in shadows and darkness and magic, but it felt… _wrong_, for lack of a better word. She could have sworn that she felt eyes on her back. Yuugi stiffened and turned around slowly, suddenly conscious of the fact that she was alone and probably looked fairly defenseless. Much to her surprise, there was no one in the alley with her, but the heavy sensation of being watched lingered.

"Is someone there?" she called out, violet eyes moving over the shadows. "Mou Hitori no Boku? Yami? Is that you?"

No one answered, but the feelings grew more intense and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. It felt like the temperature had dropped all at once, and it was an invasive chill that seemed to slide directly into her bones and settle there. She'd only felt that once or twice when the Shadow Realm was involved. Yuugi swallowed hard and edged sideways towards the mouth of the alley. There were people walking by, just barely visible through the growing purplish haze, and she longed to call out to them for help. No one seemed to notice that she was there, much less that she was frightened and in need of help.

"Y-Yami?" Her voice stuttered, though whether it was from cold or fear she wasn't sure. She was shivering hard now, her hands shaking as she rubbed her upper arms in an effort to warm them. Her legs felt weak and when she took another step, she stumbled and ended up sliding to the ground in a heap. Cold… it was so cold… and she was tired… "Yami…"

"Yuugi! Yuugi! Wake up!"

Someone was calling her name, but it felt as though they were speaking to her from a great distance. It took a great effort to force her eyes to open, and even then, it was a full minute before she could focus. Slowly, the faces of Ryou and Mokuba came into view; they were leaning over her, and both of them looked worried. She blinked up at them hazily, wondering what they were doing there and why she was on the ground. Mokuba reached out and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into a seated position. The movement jump-started her memories and she gasped, looking around frantically.

"Mou Hitori no Boku?" she called, searching the otherwise empty alley.

"He's not here, Yuugi," Ryou said gently, taking Yuugi's hands in hers. Briskly, she began rubbing her hands over Yuugi's in an effort to warm them. "My god, you're freezing. What happened?"

"I don't know," Yuugi said. Her mind felt muddled and it was hard to think. "I… I think someone was trying to open the Shadow Realm."

"Why?" Mokuba asked blankly.

"I don't know," she said again in a small voice. She couldn't rid herself of the desperate hope that it had been Yami trying to communicate with her, even though it hadn't felt like him at all. This had been even worse then when she'd faced the Shadow Realm alone during her duel with Pegasus, when she and Yami had been switching places to keep him confused, and she knew that Yami would never do that to her. "What are you two doing out here?"

"I saw you leave," said Mokuba awkwardly.

"And Jou came back to the table and said you'd gone outside for some fresh air," Ryou added. There was concern in her brown eyes and she never stopped massaging Yuugi's arms. "I thought you might want some company and I ran into Mokuba on the way out. We decided to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine," Yuugi mumbled. "Can you help me up?"

Neither Ryou nor Mokuba looked entirely convinced by her somewhat lame assurance, but both of them stood up and then reached down to pull her to her feet. Yuugi swayed slightly once she was on her feet, her head spinning. The temperature had gone back to normal, but she still felt unbearably cold. If it weren't for that, there wouldn't have been any sign that she hadn't just dreamed the whole thing. Hell, maybe she had, maybe she'd come into the alley and had fallen asleep or tripped and hit her head in a shadowy spot, out of the reach of the sun, and gotten chilled. And yet…

"It was familiar," she said suddenly. "That presence. I recognized it."

Ryou tilted her head. "Where from?"

Yuugi looked past her, staring at the wall as she struggled to remember. It was like she_ knew_ who it was but the name refused to come to mind. Frustrated, she screwed up her face and shook her head. "I don't know," she repeated uselessly. "I'm sorry."

Apparently realizing that Yuugi was getting upset again, Ryou reached out and placed an arm around her shoulders. "It's alright, it doesn't matter. Let's get out of here," she said, glancing at Mokuba. He nodded and took Yuugi's other arm, leaving her comfortably ensconced between the two of them as they walked back out onto the street. They didn't go back into the restaurant right away, but stood out front, letting Yuugi have a few minutes to re-orient herself. Gradually, between the sun and the warmth of the two bodies on either side of her, she was able to shake off the daze.

"Feel better?" Ryou asked sympathetically.

"A little. I'm hungry now," she admitted, rubbing her hands over her face. She felt gritty and in need of a shower, but her stomach was painfully empty.

"The food is probably ready by now." Ryou started to open the door, but Mokuba stopped her.

"Here," he said, holding a plastic card out. Yuugi took it with a confused look. Before she could ask what it was for, he added, "That's why I came out here in the first place, so that I could give it to you where the others wouldn't see. It's been pre-loaded with enough money for you both to buy new clothing." His mouth quirked into a mischievous smile. "Your old ones don't fit so well anymore."

"Mokuba… You didn't have to do that." Yuugi stared down at the card, her cheeks flushing.

He shrugged. "I know. But you and the Pharaoh helped Nii-sama and me lots of times and we never thanked you for it, Yuugi."

"Thank you, Mokuba-san," Ryou said, sensing that Yuugi didn't know what to say. "That was very generous of you and it will make our lives much easier." She pushed the sleeves of her shirt up again and sighed when they slipped right back down.

"Yes, thank you." Yuugi found herself smiling as she tucked the card into her pocket. She kept that smile on her face as they walked into the restaurant, giving no indication that her thoughts had taken a disturbing direction. Because she still didn't know who had been trying to come through the Shadow Realm… but she was pretty sure that whoever it was wasn't finished yet.

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Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** Love all of the reviews. Nothing pushes me to write faster than tons of support. Now I did have someone mention to me that they felt Yuugi was being a little over-emotional… I'm going to try to be more careful about that in the future, as I really want to keep them true to their normal characters even though they are now girls. So don't be afraid to point it out if you feel something is not right. Also, for the sake of the story we're going to pretend that the school sells uniforms on campus. I recognize that they likely don't but I'm employing artistic license. Enjoy!

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After spending most of Sunday working in the game shop along with her grandfather, Yuugi pried herself out of bed early on Monday morning, got dressed in an ill-fitting uniform and left to go meet Ryou before either Sugoroku or Koto were up. She and Ryou had agreed to meet before school started so that they could purchase a few new uniforms. Any other shopping could wait, but since students practically lived in their uniforms during the week, this was unavoidable; their school prided itself on having students that were dressed neatly, and both of them would get into trouble if they showed up wearing uniforms that didn't fit. And not to mention, it would bring undue attention to the changes that had befallen them, which was the last thing they wanted.

It was a cool morning, though the misty fog that swished around her ankles as she walked towards the school told her that the day would be warm once the sun finished rising. Yuugi brushed a blonde bang out of her face and looked up at the cloudless sky, feeling unsettled. A day at home with her family had gone a long way towards soothing her initial fears and panic from the brush with the Shadow Realm, and now she felt a little more capable of thinking objectively about the situation, but sometimes it was like the cold was still lingering and no matter how hard she tried to get warm, it was impossible.

The likelihood that it had been Yami (or Bakura) was slim to none. Encounters with Yami had _never_ felt like that, not even when the spirit had been at his most volatile. And so the question remained, who had it been? Yuugi was positive that she had felt the presence before, but being unable to put a name to it was slowly driving her mad. The Shadow Realm was supposed to have been locked away when Yami left, but obviously it hadn't been if duel monsters were able to come through and someone was now trying to open it. Had she and Ryou caused this by missing their other halfs so much? Would the Shadow Realm have remained bound if she had been able to force herself to forget about Yami? The sheer amount of _not knowing_ was unbearably frustrating, and she couldn't think of how she'd ever dealt with so many questions before.

"No, wait, I do know," she muttered ruefully, crossing the street towards the school. "Mou Hitori no Boku was always there to talk me down..."

"They say talking to yourself is a bad sign, Yuugi." A hand dropped down onto her head, and she glanced up into Ryou's playful eyes. Yuugi smiled in spite of herself and brushed Ryou's hand away, absently fixing the flattened spikes in the process.

"I talk to myself because no one is there to hear me," she countered. "Isn't that the point?"

Ryou raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Touché," she said with a nod. "Still can't think of where you've felt that presence from the Shadow Realm before, hmm?" At Yuugi's surprised look, Ryou chuckled and walked through the gates. "I know you better than that, Yuugi. I bet you've been thinking about it since we left Burger World on Saturday afternoon."

Yuugi smiled sheepishly and didn't bother to deny it. "I can't help it. That feeling..." Her voice trailed off. There was really no way to describe it, but she couldn't hold back a shiver.

"It's probably best if we stay away from them even if we did find out who it was," said Ryou gently. "The Shadow Realm is a dangerous place. We both know that better than anyone."

"Yeah," Yuugi mumbled, looking down at the ground as they crossed the grounds. What she didn't want to say was that she had gone this far to get Yami back, so whatever it took... Yuugi was prepared to do it. If there was even the_ slightest _chance that Yami regretted having gone on to the afterlife, and that he might want to return... Well, she didn't care if it involved the Shadow Realm; she had sacrificed this much to get him back, so what was a little more?

The two of them entered the school and made their way down to the little store that was kept in the basement, tucked away in the corner near the storage closets. It sold everything from school supplies to uniforms. A sleepy-looking student looked up as they walked in, scanned the two of them briefly, and then put his head back down on the counter and closed his eyes. Ryou smirked and headed over to where the extra uniforms were stored, pleased that they wouldn't have an audience. She picked up a pair of pants that was two sizes smaller than the ones she was wearing and held them up.

"What do you think?"

"I guess?" Yuugi said after a pause. When Ryou gave her a look, she shrugged helplessly. "I might be a girl but that doesn't mean I magically know anything about clothes shopping."

"We might have to tell Anzu the truth and make her come shopping with us," Ryou muttered, folding the pants over her arm. She had developed an affinity for clothes shopping after her mother and sister died. Not only was it a way to feel closer to them by doing something that they loved, but her father hadn't wanted to take the time to eat dinner with her, much less do something as involved as shopping. "Here, hold this."

Yuugi obediently held her arms out while Ryou stacked several pairs of pants, shirts, shorts, t-shirts and coats across her arms. The school allowed them to wear their own shoes, so they would have to shop for those later. "Is this enough?" she asked, voice muffled by the stack of clothing that was now so high it blocked her vision.

"It should be. Come on." Ryou grabbed her arm and towed her forward. Yuugi followed blindly until Ryou stopped her. The sleepy student manning the counter sat up long enough for them to pay for the new uniforms and then crashed again as they were walking back out the door.

"I have a small problem today," Ryou confided, pulling Yuugi into one of the storage rooms. She shut the door and helped Yuugi to put their clothing down on one of the fold-up tables. Briskly, she began sorting the clothing into two piles.

"What's that?"

"I have gym today. First period."

Violet eyes widened. "Oh. _Oh_." Yuugi winced. Gym class meant changing in a locker room full of other boys. She hadn't really thought that far ahead yet, as she didn't have gym until Tuesdays. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Ryou replied, turning her back and pulling off her too large coat. Yuugi did the same, and in short order, they were both dressed in the new uniforms they had purchased. The undeniable plus side was that the new clothing actually fit, and Ryou no longer had to put up with her sleeves falling over her hands all the time. The unexpected negative side was that it was now obvious just how much the two of them had changed. Yuugi looked – well, the only word was petite – and Ryou was pretty sure that she was bordering on the same thing.

"I hate my life," Yuugi announced with a disgusted look, smoothing her fingers down over her coat. "Yami is _so_ in trouble when he gets back here, and if I ever see the Dark Magician again, he's a dead man. Look at me! I mean, it was bad enough getting mistaken for a middle school student before, but now I bet I look young enough to be mistaken for _elementary school_ student." She scowled, clearly working her way up to a full scale rant. "And I keep _crying_. I don't know why but it's driving me crazy. Jii-chan thought I'd broken something last night because I came across one of Yami's favourite trap cards and almost started crying right there in the store."

Ryou bit her lip hard, forbidding herself to laugh. "Nee-chan used to be like that sometimes," she said carefully, not really wanting to expand on _why_ Amane had gotten like that. Yuugi was probably not ready to be introduced to the concept of "that time of the month" quite yet. Instead, she offered a small smile. "I'm sure it's just the change, Yuugi. You're not used to having to deal with so many hormones. That's all it is. I bet it will go away in a little while." She straightened her shirt and winced as her breasts twinged with pain. They'd been a bit more sensitive that morning and it had actually hurt to bind them.

"It better." Yuugi made a face and then sighed. "Well, at least I no longer have to worry about tripping over my clothes. Thank god for Mokuba-kun, or I don't know what we would have done."

"Suffered, no doubt." Ryou checked her watch and saw that school was starting in less than ten minutes. "I'm going to go now, Yuugi. If I hurry and skip homeroom, I'll have time to put these clothes in my locker and still be the first one in the locker room. I'll be able to get changed before everyone else comes in."

"Good luck."

"Thanks. I'm sure I'll need it." Sighing, she picked up her clothing and hurried out of the room. There were quite a few more students around than there had been when she and Yuugi had first arrived, and Ryou felt a flash of nerves as she emerged from the basement. It seemed like everyone was staring at her as she moved down the hall and she couldn't help thinking that they had all noticed that something was different. Ryou made her way to her locker and neatly folded and stored most of her new clothing before moving on. The bell for homeroom rang while she was stacking her clothing and she winced at the realization that she was running out of time, closing the door quickly and hurrying down the hall towards the locker room.

Fortunately, just as she had planned, the room was empty. Ryou walked over to the nearest locket and pulled her coat off. She hung it on a hook and then, with a deep breath, slipped off her shoes and pants before quickly sliding into a pair of shorts. There was a distinctive lack of a bulge at the juncture of her thighs, made even more noticeable by the clingy gym shorts, but she was hoping that no one would be paying that close of attention. It wasn't the best method in the world but she didn't know what else to do; it wasn't like she could stuff something down there.

"We are so in over our heads," she muttered, unbuttoning her shirt with fingers that shook. Sometimes she really, truly wondered if she had lost her mind. Was it worth going through this, even if it meant she didn't have to be alone anymore? Maybe she should have just looked into getting a cat or a dog instead…

An icy tendril of air slipped down her spine when she slipped her shirt off of her shoulders, like someone with cold hands had reached out and touched her. All thoughts of a pet fleeing her mind, Ryou stiffened, staring down at the bench and listening hard, not wanting to turn with a half-open shirt just in case there really was someone who made it into the room without her notice. When she didn't hear anything, she glanced over her shoulder cautiously, noting that the room was still empty. And yet… the hair on the back of her neck had risen and she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her.

"Hello?" she asked out loud. "Is anyone there? Norito-sensei? Is that you?"

Silence. Uncomfortable, Ryou finished pulling her shirt off and yanked on the regulation t-shirt as fast as she could. Normally she would have tucked it into her shorts, but now she left it hanging freely around her waist instead. She tried to ignore the niggling sensation of eyes as she folded her new shirt and pants and stacked them in her locker, but it was only growing stronger, and it felt, somehow, strangely familiar. Her hand brushed against the metal door and she shivered, realizing that the temperature in the room was steadily dropping; the door felt like a block of ice.

Her senses were screaming at her to get out of the room. Ryou shoved her feet into her sneakers, laced them up, and pushed the door closed with a resounding crash. She spun, intending to walk-run into the gym, where their teacher would be setting up for the day. But she froze in place when she realized that the air had gone hazy, smoky, like someone had set a fire. "Oh my god," she whispered, sinking back against the locker.

Someone laughed.

And then, like a light had been switched on inside of her mind, Ryou _knew_. She couldn't imagine how she hadn't guessed it before. That cold, cruel, high-pitched sound of evil was something that not even her broken mind could forget, no matter how much she wished that she could. She sat up straighter, her legs feeling too weak to hold her weight, and knew where she had heard that sound before. The only difference was, this time there was no possessive yami standing in between herself and pure darkness.

She closed her eyes.

"Hello, Yami Malik."

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Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** You guys are too cute! I adore the reception this story is getting and, I have to admit, I never would have thought that a gender-bender story could be so much fun. A lot of people seemed to think that Yami Malik would not be returning. I distinctly said that Malik would not want him back, but I didn't say that he wouldn't be in the story. I can be a bit sneaky that way, I'm afraid. Enjoy!

**Note:** I reply to all reviews if possible, but some of you have your PM feature disabled. Please enable it by going to your Profile if you want me to respond.

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After folding and putting her new clothing into her locker, Yuugi walked to her homeroom and sat down in her seat. She was the first person there, and she kept her head down and acted like the contents of her backpack were so fascinating that she didn't even notice the rest of the students coming in. That worked right up until someone gave one of her spikes a gentle yank, and she looked up into the friendly face of Anzu. "Oh... Good morning, Anzu-chan," she said sheepishly.

"You were concentrating hard, Yuugi. You didn't even hear me say your name when I came in." Anzu sat down at the desk beside Yuugi, placing her bag on the floor in between them, and stretched her hands over her head. "Another weekend come and gone... I can't believe that it's Monday already, can you? Do you think..." She glanced over at her friend and stopped, blue eyes widened slightly. "Yuugi... is that a new uniform?"

"Err... yes..." Yuugi said slowly, sensing that she was not going to like the direction their conversation was taking.

"It's smaller than your old one was."

"Yes," she said again. It seemed to be the safest answer.

Anzu was frowning. Suddenly, she leaned forward, putting her face so close to Yuugi's that Yuugi instinctively jerked backwards, only just stopping herself from falling out of the chair at the last minute. Some of the more childish students in the class began whispering at their close contact, but Anzu ignored them as she intently studied every inch of her best friend with narrowed eyes. "There's something different about you," she said finally. "Yuugi, is there something that you would like to tell me?"

"I..." Yuugi trailed off, her mouth opening and closing uselessly.

"Hey Yuugi!" A backpack thumped down onto her desk and Yuugi jumped. Anzu straightened up as Jou sat down in front of them and Honda stood beside him, leaning against Anzu's desk. Jou grinned and reached out, making a vain attempt to get an arm around Yuugi's neck, but the girl skilfully ducked and leaned out of reach. "No fair!"

"Very fair," said Yuugi wryly, a small smile tugging at her lips. She was so grateful to Jou and Honda for interrupting the beginning stages of Anzu's interrogation that she was almost willing to allow Jou to give her a noogie. Almost.

"Where's Ryou-kun?" Honda asked, glancing around the classroom. "He sick?"

"Still?" Anzu looked concerned.

"No, he's here. Norito-sensei asked for his help in setting things up," Yuugi told them. It wasn't exactly the truth, but it explained why Ryou would have gone down to the gym early.

Their teacher chose that moment to walk into the room and call the class to attention, and her friends scattered back to their proper seats before anyone could say anything further. Anzu tried to catch Yuugi's eye as their teacher began taking attendance, but Yuugi pretended she didn't notice. For once, she was actually looking forward to class if it meant that none of her friends would be able to ask any more questions. Hopefully by the time break rolled around, they would have forgotten about the fact that she had shrunk practically overnight. It was unlikely, but hey, a girl could dream.

"Mutou Yuugi-kun?" the teacher called out. He looked in Yuugi's direction and added, "Mutou-kun, you're wanted in the office."

"I am?" Yuugi blinked. "Right now?"

"Yes. Please gather your things together. One of your classmates can fill you in on anything that you might miss."

"Yes sir." Confused, Yuugi shrugged in response to Jou's raised eyebrow and put her things back into her bag. Obviously whatever she was being called down for was going to take a while if she had been instructed to bring her things with her. She stood up and slung her pack over her shoulders, walking towards the door and feeling the weight of twenty-five curious pairs of eyes resting on her shoulders as she left the room.

The halls were eerily empty and she headed quickly down towards the office, her pack thumping solidly against the bottom of her spine in a way that was still new and strange. One of the receptionists looked up at her with a blank, exhausted gaze when she arrived and motioned for her to go inside without saying a word. Yuugi frowned but entered, pushing the door open and allowing it to swing closed behind her. The principal's door was open and she stepped forward, absently chewing on the inside of her cheek and wondering if this was so serious that the man was actually waiting for her.

Well, someone_ was_ waiting for her.

Just not the principal.

All it took was a single glance at Isis Ishtar, who was the one sitting behind the desk, for understanding to crash over Yuugi, followed by a flood of horror so icy that she choked from the force of it. Her knees felt weak as she remembered, instantly, where she had felt that strange presence before. It was so clear that she couldn't believe she had forgotten. _Yami Malik_. She'd never faced the demon without Yami at her side, and time had successfully blurred the memories that had once kept her awake at night, but the new, raw memory of that bitterly cold chill swept through her all over again. Breath catching in her throat, Yuugi staggered, her hands shaking, a mantra of panicked 'oh my god' raging through her mind.

Two warm hands took hold of hers, and she dimly heard voices talking to her, though their words were meaningless. The hands began a steady rhythmic squeezing that was oddly comforting. Gradually, she felt her ragged gasping for air slowing and growing more controlled as she began breathing in and out to the tune of the hands slowly squeezing hers. After a few minute, she looked up, blinking to see past the dancing black spots, and found herself staring into familiar lavender eyes framed by pale blonde hair and tanned skin. Malik gave her a shy smile and sat back on his heels without releasing his grip.

"Alright?" he asked cautiously. "You were having a panic attack."

"I'm... I... Why are you here?" Yuugi's voice was filled with a certain amount of resignation. It was only once she saw Malik's eyes widen that she realized she'd forgotten to lower her voice. Panic flashed through her all over again and instantly that soothing squeezing began once more, encouraging her to keep breathing at a steady pace.

"You know why we're here." Isis had come around the edge of the desk at some point and was now standing in front of it. There was a grave expression on her face.

"God, yes, but I... I had hoped that I might be wrong." She closed her eyes briefly, feeling dizzy, and curled her fingers so that she was clutching Malik. "Yami Malik has returned, hasn't he?"

The abruptness of the question made Malik wince, but he still answered readily. "Yes, he has."

"But I don't understand. You're still…" Malik was still male; there was no question about that. He was wearing a pair of tight pants and a loose tank top that left little to the imagination. And it wasn't as though he would have_ wanted_ his yami back, anyway, much less have been willing to sacrifice something to that end. Unconsciously, she tightened her grip on his hands. "How? How did this happen? I thought that he was destroyed during the duel."

"The Shadow Realm is a complicated place," said Isis regretfully, folding her arms across her waist in a protective gesture. "It seems that Yami Malik valued his life enough that he took some precautions in the event that he lost. We suspect that he has been building his strength during the past year, waiting for the right opportunity to strike."

"Why now?" Yuugi asked, bewildered. A jolt of pain ran up her wrists and she looked down blankly to see that Malik was holding onto her even more tightly than she was to him. Her fingers had turned white and she had lost all feeling in her hands. She raised her gaze to his face and saw that his eyes were closed and his lips were pressed into a thin, frightened line.

"Someone opened the Shadow Realm. That would take a great deal of strength now that the Pharaoh is gone, and he likely wasn't powerful enough to do it on his own. But once someone else did - "

"He had a way into this world and he could open all of the portals he wants," Yuugi finished, her blood running cold. Yami Malik would have had twice the opportunity to get in, wouldn't he? Once from Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, and once from Change of Heart. "Oh God, I think I'm going to be sick."

Isis grabbed the trash can from beside the principal's desk and set it down beside Yuugi. "I take it from your reaction that you have encountered him already."

"I believe so." Shuddering, she leaned over the can, but though her stomach was twisting and heaving and her throat had tightened, nothing came up. She felt unbearably cold, though, like she would never be warm again. "I just didn't know that it was him until now. I knew I recognized that feeling, but…"

"You just didn't want to accept it," Isis said gently, "and the Shadow Realm was supposed to have been sealed with the death of the Pharaoh. It's understandable."

"In more ways than one," Malik mumbled. He was looking at Yuugi carefully, head tilted slightly, lavender eyes filled with confusion that bordered on knowing. "Yuugi-kun… you sound… different."

"Err…" It suddenly occurred to Yuugi that she was holding hands with the one person who would have cause to be truly furious with her if he found out about her part in Yami Malik's return. Flustered, she regretfully twisted her hands until Malik released her and then stood up, instantly missing the warmth he had been providing. Her hands tingled with pain as the blood began to return to them and she folded them under her arms, trying hard not to shiver. Was there any point in trying to lie or omit the truth? Surely they of all people deserved to know the truth… she just hated the thought of admitting it. "I'm sorry, Malik-kun."

Malik just looked at her. "What happened?"

"I… I missed Mou Hitori no Boku… Yami. I missed Yami. I mean, I tried my best to move on, I really did, I wanted to, but I couldn't." The words came out in a tangled rush. "And Ryou felt the same way. About Bakura, that is. I realize it's probably hard for you to understand because our yamis were nothing like your yami, well Bakura sort of was, but still they were different people and when we had the opportunity to get them back again we had to take it, we couldn't say no, and… and I'm so sorry. If we hadn't missed them so much our monsters wouldn't have opened the Shadow Realm to make us a deal for their return and if I'd known what it meant I wouldn't have… well okay I still would have done it but I'd have warned you first, and she would have too, and I'm sorry!"

For several minutes, Malik just stood there, staring at her as he struggled to understand everything she'd blurted out. At last, he said in a dazed voice, "Did you just refer to Ryou as a 'she'?"

Yuugi blinked and mentally ran over her words. With a fresh jolt of horror, she realized that she had done exactly that. "Um… no?"

"Yes you did!" Malik shook his head. "_I thought_ something was different, but… what did you two do?"

"I…" Yuugi began and then stopped as something occurred to her. She looked from Malik to Isis with a frown. "Hang on a second. How did you know that Yami Malik was back? And why did you come here? I appreciate the warning, but..."

"He appeared to my brother," Isis told her, stepping forward and resting a comforting arm around Malik's shoulders. "Briefly, just long enough to deliver a warning and a promise. He wants revenge, Yuugi, and he vowed to start with the lights that lit up the darkness." She lowered her head. "There could be many different interpretations to that statement, but we felt it best to assume that he was referring to you and Ryou and make sure that you were both safe before we did anything else. As we got closer to Domino City, I felt his power growing, and realized that our guess was correct."

"Revenge?" Yuugi breathed the word and felt her skin crawl. She had never wanted Yami as much as she had in that moment.

"That's right. You will both have to be exceptionally careful from now on. Yami Malik hates you very much, and he will wait until you are alone and defenceless to attack. Now that he has the power to open the Shadow Realm at will, you are in a great deal of danger." Isis lifted her head and looked at him sadly. "We should warn Ryou as well. Where is he?"

And that's when it hit her.

"Oh my god… _Ryou_!"

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Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews! I wish I could present you with a better chapter since you've all been so amazing. I feel like something about the ending is off and I can't put my finger on what it is, but it's massively annoying. That's what I get for going to bed early and finishing a chapter the next morning instead of just completing it while I was on a roll! Oh, well. Enjoy!

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Once, and only once, a long time ago, Ryou had come into contact with the entity known as Yami Malik. It had happened during Battle City, and it was one of the few clear and vivid memories she had of that long stretch of time that was otherwise a complete blur. Ironically, it was also one of the memories that she would have given anything to be able to forget. Out of everything that Bakura had done to her and, on a rarer occasions, for her, his nearly complete suppression of her soul during the time that they had been in close contact with Yami Malik was something that she would have liked to thank him for.

She could still remember the moment when she'd been roused from a thick, heavy sleep to find herself standing outside of her body. That had been the first time it had ever happened and she'd been frightened, but that paled in comparison to the ice that had gripped her when Yami Malik turned to look at her. His eyes were fathomless, flat discs of deep purple, but the glint of insanity had chilled her to her core. Even the presence of Bakura hadn't frightened her as much, and she easily recalled the split second when she'd chosen the lesser of two evils and huddled behind the imposing form of her yami, seeking protection from his stiffened form.

Yami Malik had been amused by her fear and he'd taunted Bakura for having such a weakling for a partner. Bakura was oddly snappish and cold in response, biting out a command for Yami Malik to mind his own business. To this day, Ryou still didn't know why she'd been summoned when it was apparent that Bakura was against the idea, but she suspected that it had been Yami Malik's way of reminding Bakura that he still had some form of a weakness. What surprised her the most was that Bakura had been protective, standing solidly in front of her with clenched fists, and when Yami Malik had tried to get closer, condescendingly mocking her like she was a child or a pet, Bakura had warned him away and summoned Ryou back into the Ring with a strangely gentle call that stunned her to this day. At the time, confused and terrified, she'd gone willingly and that had been the end of her experience with Yami Malik.

Until now, at this moment, when she wanted nothing more than to be able to hide behind Bakura again. Barring that, she wished she could flee into the Millennium Ring, where no one could touch her but the evil she already knew. Desperate, shivers wracking her body, she drew her knees up close to her chest, eyes searching the foggy clouds for any sign that a physical being had materialized into the room with her. She could _feel _his presence as surely as though he was standing right beside her, could almost imagine that the sounds of his breathing and harsh laughter were echoing in her ears, and it was enough to make her skin crawl. Her whole body felt weak and kind of detached, but she knew that she couldn't just sit there; she had to get up and move.

Her legs trembled and nearly buckled under her weight when she put them down on the floor and stood up. Ryou grabbed the locker door and hung on, panting from exertion. "Leave me _alone_," she wept into the mist. Instantly, she regretted opening her mouth as a sour taste began to gather at the back of her throat, like she'd eaten something rotten. Her stomach heaved and she clapped a hand to her mouth in an effort to avoid throwing up, pressing her other hand out in front of her and taking a shaky step forward.

"Poor little hikari...So alone… so vulnerable…"

Ryou froze and her heart skipped a beat at the sound of that voice, a voice that had haunted her nightmares. "No!" she cried. "Leave me alone! Go away!" A very large part of her wanted to curl up on the floor and put her hands over her head to block out the soft, mocking laughter that seemed to fill the air around her. But the thought of staying inside the room for even a minute longer was unbearable. She closed her eyes in an effort to keep the tears back and pressed her hands against her chest, where the Millennium Ring had once hung. "Bakura… Please help me," she whimpered.

The door to the locker room slammed open without warning and Ryou jumped, a choked gasp falling from her lips. The boy standing in the doorway - one of her classmates, she thought, though she only vaguely recognized him - raised an eyebrow at her and sauntered across the room towards the lockers. As other students began to file into the room behind him, the foggy, deep greyish purple clouds dissipated so quickly that it was like they had never existed in the first place, and the temperature began to rise slowly. Ryou shuddered and staggered towards the door, unwilling to stick around any longer.

"Fuck it's cold in here," one of the boys was saying as she left.

There were so many students in the hall, so many lights and so much noise, that it left her feeling disoriented. She stumbled down the hall, catching her balance against the wall, and didn't even hear the voices calling her name until hands landed on her shoulders. Ryou jerked and instinctively tried to pull away, panic flooding through her system, before she realized that she recognized those voices. She looked up blindly and finally realized that it was Yuugi and Malik who were standing in front of her, both of them wearing expressions of concern.

"H-He w-was in th-there," she stuttered, her legs finally giving out on her. Two sets of arms caught her before she could fall to the floor and Ryou clung to both of them, pressing her face into the nearest shoulder in an effort to block out the rest of the world.

Isis swept past their huddled forms and strode towards the boy's locker room and pushed the door open. Ignoring the surprised squeaks and squawks from the boys who were getting changed inside, she glanced briefly around, noting the perceptible difference in the temperature between the room and the hall before she retreated. "I think we should go outside," she said briskly. "There are too many witnesses here."

Suddenly conscious of the other students that were openly staring, Ryou allowed herself to be pulled back to her feet and walked down the hall with Yuugi and Malik on either side of her. Isis hovered behind them as they made their way out of the school and out onto the grass of the field. Yuugi headed instinctively for the little spot where their group always ate lunch and Ryou followed. She felt better as soon as she was seated on one of the flat rock, which was warm beneath her thighs. The large sakura tree afforded them a little shade from the sunlight while still allowing the heat to strike her face and shoulders. It felt marvellous.

"What's going on?" she asked, keeping her face tilted towards the sky. Someone sat down beside her - Yuugi - and she shifted over an extra couple of inches to make extra room. In their current bodies, both of them fit easily on the rock. Malik crouched down in front of them, seemingly not bothered by the fact that his position left the sun shining directly into his eyes, and stared up at them in open fascination.

"You… you're _girls_," he said, sounding torn between amazement and shock. There was also a tinge of amusement seeping through, and it seemed like he was trying hard not to laugh. "I didn't think… I heard your voices, but then…" His face went pink and Ryou remembered an arm sliding around her in support, a hand brushing against her chest and how fast it had moved, and flushed as well.

"It's a long story and from the sound of it, you've already gotten the gist," she said, uncomfortably folding her arms across her chest. "What's going on?"

Malik was apparently too shell-shocked to explain, so it was Isis who told her about Yami Malik's return, and how the Shadow Realm's opening had given him the opportunity to escape into the real world. In the end, she pinned them with a cross look and stated, "Yuugi-kun, you said it was your fault that Yami Malik had escaped. I must admit that I am failing to see how that could have happened, but being that the two of you are now female, there has definitely been shadow magic at play. I want to know what happened. Now."

"I kind of told you already," Yuugi mumbled, threading her fingers together nervously. "I miss Mou Hitori no Boku. I tried to move on but it was hard. Harder than I thought it would be." Her violet eyes focused on something in the distance. "But I didn't think I had a choice, so I never thought much beyond it until a couple of nights ago when Dark Magician showed up in my bedroom. He said that Mou Hitori - that Yami could come back if I was willing to make a sacrifice to have him return, but he couldn't tell me what it was. When I said yes, he did something. It hurt a lot and I passed out afterwards." She bit her lip and looked up at Isis with a pleading gaze. "When I woke up, I was like this, but there was no sign of Yami. Please, Isis-san, do you know where he is? Why hasn't he shown up yet?"

Something Isis's deep blue eyes softened and she sighed. "That's hard to say," she said gently, looking very much like she wanted to pull Yuugi into a comforting hug. "Shadow magic is complicated at best and there could easily be a delayed effect that's preventing the Pharaoh from materializing in our world." Her brows furrowed and she frowned slightly before she glanced at Ryou. "I assume that you had a similar encounter. Have you seen any sign of Bakura?"

It would have been hard to describe the way that Ryou's heart flipped over at the thought of seeing Bakura again, even if it was only so that her yami could sneer and call her a weakling. She swallowed hard. "No, I haven't."

The woman nodded, her lips pursed in thought. "I suppose you assumed that because you missed your yamis so much, that's what led to the Shadow Realm opening?" she asked, looking back at Yuugi and Ryou. Without waiting for them to nod, she went on, "I'm not sure that's true. The Shadow Realm should have been bound away when the Pharaoh's soul went to rest. The fact that it could still be opened means something along the line went wrong, though I'm not yet sure of what that could be. But no matter how much you were grieving, your monsters shouldn't have been able to pass through. Don't blame yourselves for this. It's not your fault."

Ryou felt Yuugi relax against her back, but she wasn't quite ready to let it go. "Why?" she asked, pulling her knees to her chest. "Why has Yami Malik returned? I thought he was destroyed." She cast a hesitant glance at Malik. All traces of laughter had vanished from his expression.

"I don't think it's something I did, but he's smart," Malik said softly, shuddering. "Smarter than I expected. When he appeared to me, I…" He trailed off and dug his fingers into the soft grass, like he was searching for something to hold onto, something to help tie him to the real world. "I don't think he's going to give up. He was… so angry. I have Nee-san and Nii-san to help keep him away, but you two…"

"Have you told your friends about this?" Isis asked, stepping closer to Malik and resting a protective hand on his tanned shoulder.

"No," Yuugi said, trying not to wince. To be quite frank, she didn't like where this was going.

Sure enough, Isis said, "You should. It won't be safe for either of you to go anywhere alone until Yami Malik is stopped. If the Pharaoh and Bakura were here…" She sighed. "Yami Malik is not very powerful right now. The more portals he opens into this world, the weaker he'll get. He's no doubt trying to conserve energy so that he can escape the Shadow Realm permanently, so if there are more people around you, he won't risk trying to open a portal. He'll try to wait until you're alone."

The idea of telling their friends about the situation made Yuugi squirm, especially now that they knew about Yami Malik. She had hopes that they would take it well, and considering the things they had gone through together the evidence did point in that direction, but there was something about telling them that just felt… wrong. It made the whole situation seem entirely too real, like there would be no going back once the truth was out. And even though she knew that this was permanent, that if Yami and Bakura returned they would be stuck this way forever, she wasn't sure if that was something she was ready to face.

"I need to lie down," she mumbled, putting a hand to her head. This was too much to accept when it wasn't even ten in the morning.

"Me too." Ryou's face was still pale and now that she had warmed up a little, the encounter had left her feeling weak and tired and not at all in the mood for classes. She tilted her head in the direction of Isis and Malik. "I'm going home. You can come if you like."

"You three go," said Isis. "Call Rishid and have him meet you there. I'm going to go back to that locker room and look around a bit." She rubbed Malik's shoulder when he started to speak and added, "Go. A nap would do you the world of good, Malik."

"Nee-san!" he grumbled. "I'm not a little kid."

Isis just looked at him with a raised eyebrow that dared him to argue. "_All_ of you should go to sleep when you get there," she said firmly. "I don't want to hear any arguments, understood?"

"I liked it better when Yami was inside me. Then she couldn't order us around," Yuugi muttered in an undertone to Ryou, who smirked. Isis shot them a mildly admonishing look, but couldn't stop the faint smile from curling around her lips as the four of them parted ways.

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Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, everyone. I feel better about this chapter and how it turned out, and now I just hope I got the characters for Anzu, Jou and Honda right. Though I own them, I never got around to reading the Battle City manga and I think I'm going to have to soon - I'm trying to keep this as canon-realistic as possible (well, as canon as it can be), after all. Enjoy!

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Heavy strips of early afternoon sunlight, filtering into the room between the thin gaps in the curtains, woke Ryou from sleep. She screwed her face up and grimaced, then twisted onto her side. As she moved, she became aware of the fact that someone was lying next to her. Mildly alarmed, she opened her eyes and squinted to see who it was. The hazy blur of violet, gold and black told her that it was Yuugi, and memory flooded over her. Seeing Yami Malik and leaving the school afterwards, then getting home and deciding that actually, a nap didn't sound like a bad idea. Malik had decided to wait for Rishid while Ryou went to bed for a while, and at some point, Yuugi must have come in and joined her. Ryou didn't mind; there was more than enough space on the queen-sized bed for both of them.

"I'm so tired," she muttered to herself, rubbing her eyes. She stretched carefully, not wanting to wake Yuugi, and then rolled over to look at the clock, only to knock her hand against something. No, make that _someone_. "Malik! What are you doing?"

"Shh, sleeping," the boy mumbled, waving a lazy hand in her direction.

Ryou sighed and looked up at the ceiling, wondering if this was really her life. Yuugi was on her right side, so passed out that she hadn't even registered Ryou's squeak, and Malik, not really awake from the sound of it, was on the other. She was trapped in the middle and since there was no way off the bed, there was only one thing left to do. Squirming down until she was flat on her back, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, letting the rhythmic and oddly comforting sounds of her friends lull her back to sleep.

"Yuugi! Yuugi, where are - oh my god!"

It felt like only a few minutes had gone by when Ryou pried her eyes open again at the sound of the shocked voice. She recognized that voice, though why it was in her bedroom was a question she wasn't sure she was ready to handle. "What's going on?"

"_I_ should be asking that!" said Jou, sounding horrified. "What are you _doing_?"

"I _was _sleeping." Her voice filled with bitterness, she once again struggled into a sitting position and looked around blearily. Nothing had changed save for the blond in the doorway and the position of the light seeping through the curtains. It was now shining on the far wall, meaning that it was late enough for it to be close to dinner. They had slept for far longer than she'd anticipated, but she still felt exhausted. Ryou sighed and looked up at Jou, who was hovering uncertainly in the doorway, staring at Malik.

"Jou, please go away," Yuugi moaned into her pillow.

"But Yuugi – "

"We're _not_ going away," Anzu interrupted. She poked her head into the gap between Jou's shoulder and the doorframe and scanned the room. A small frown graced her lips when she spotted the three teenagers in the bed, and she folded her arms. "When you didn't come back to class today and you didn't answer your cell phone, we called the Game Shop at lunch. Your grandfather said you hadn't been home and that he hadn't heard from you. We were worried, Yuugi! And then Isis-san approached us after school and wanted to know if we had spoken to you! What's going on? Why are you in bed with Ryou and... and M-Malik?" Her voice stuttered slightly when she spoke Malik's name.

"We were sleeping," Ryou repeated, blinking heavily "I'd like to go back to sleep. So do you think you could get out of my room and come back... well, actually, don't bother to come back now that I think of it."

"Ryou-kun." A small hand groped blindly around until it landed on her shoulder, then it pulled her backwards. Ryou sank back gratefully, her eyes closing as soon as she hit the pillow. Yuugi sat up with a muffled yawn and reluctantly pulled the covers back, knowing that their friends would not leave until they had some form of an explanation. They could be somewhat annoying that way. She stood up, instantly missing the warmth from the bed, and shuffled towards the door. Jou and Anzu backed up until she had enough space to stand in the hallway with them, and then she reached back and shut the door.

"Yuugi, are you okay?" Anzu asked immediately.

The genuine concern in her eyes made Yuugi feel guilty. She had intended to call her friends at lunch, but then she'd gotten tired, and Malik and Rishid had been having a whispered conversation in the corner that didn't involve her, so she'd gone upstairs. Ryou was asleep, and the bed had looked so comfortable, and she could remember that she had only intended to lay down for a minute or two. Obviously that plan had gone astray. Sighing, she rubbed her forehead and gestured to Jou and Anzu to follow her downstairs.

"You sure it's safe to leave Ryou alone with him?" Jou looked back at the door like he was expecting to hear screaming coming from the other side at any moment.

Yuugi shot him a look and pointedly walked towards the staircase. Although she could understand Jou's somewhat reserved attitude when it came to Malik, she didn't have to like it. "They're just sleeping, Jou," she said wearily as soon as they were out of earshot. "Malik won't hurt Ryou." Ra, Malik felt so guilty about Yami Malik that he would probably bend over backwards to do just about anything Yuugi or Ryou asked of him.

Jou didn't seem very convinced, but he followed her and Anzu down the stairs. Honda was sitting on the couch and he looked up at them with a raised eyebrow. "Still in one piece, huh?"

Anzu flushed. "You didn't know that for certain," she said with as much dignity as possible, sweeping over to the couch and sitting down at the other end. She glanced around the room before looking at Honda. "Where did Rishid-san go?"

"He's probably around somewhere," Yuugi murmured, thinking that it was unlikely Rishid would go far when Malik was upstairs, sleeping and vulnerable. "Listen, I'm sorry I didn't call or text you guys. I meant to but I fell asleep. I didn't mean to make you worry."

"It's alright," said Honda. "Sometimes with you, no news really is good news."

She grinned at that and perched herself on one of the chairs. Jou remained standing, his arms folded across his chest. "Well, regardless, I should have told you I was alright. Thanks for coming over."

"We would have been here sooner if we'd known that _he_ was in town," said Jou, casting a pointed glance towards the ceiling. "What is he doing here, Yuugi?"

"Malik and Isis came to talk to me and Ryou," Yuugi said slowly. "As it turns out, it was just well they did because we had something to tell them as well."

"Which was?" Anzu leaned forward expectantly.

Which piece of information would be easier for them to handle first? That Yami Malik had returned, or that Yuugi was now a girl? It troubled her that she wasn't entirely certain. "Well, recently I've been… missing Mou Hitori no Boku a lot." She stared down at her hands. Somehow that was harder to admit than she had expected it to be.

"Yes, we know," Anzu said gently. If she had been close enough, she would have wrapped an arm around Yuugi's shoulders. "It was pretty obvious. I was going to talk to you about it pretty soon."

Yuugi closed her eyes briefly, hating the '_of course you were_' that flashed through her mind. She loved her friends, she really did. But sometimes… "Dark Magician… Mahado… came to visit me a few nights ago. He said that he and the other monsters were concerned about me and how I hadn't been able to recover from… that." Her hands clenched into fists and it was like she could hear his voice all over again. "And he offered me a chance… a chance to bring Mou Hitori no Boku… Yami… to bring him back, if I wanted to."

"What was the catch?" Jou asked. He'd been around shadow magic long enough to know that nothing ever came without a price of some kind.

"It was... Well... Dark Magician didn't want to tell me. I don't know if he knew." She stared hard at the tops of her knees, wishing that Ryou was down here with her. "As it turned out, Ryou was offered the same opportunity by h-his duel monsters." At the very last second, she caught herself before she could refer to Ryou as "her". An icy chill that, for once, had nothing to do with Yami Malik slipped up her spine. How eerie. On some level, she was already becoming accustomed to the whole girl thing.

Honda laughed. "You mean to tell me that they offered him the chance to bring Bakura back?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "How quickly did he say no?"

Yuugi bit her lip.

Her silence said it all.

Slowly, the amusement drained from Honda's face and he sat up straight, staring at Yuugi with an expression of outright disbelief. "You're not serious."

"Honda-kun - "

"You are, aren't you? He said yes? Is he crazy?" Honda looked around the room at Anzu and Jou the three of them exchanged glances. What they were thinking was evident to Yuugi. None of them could understand why Ryou would do something like that. "Bakura was horrible to him! He took over Ryou's body and he'd still be in there if it weren't for the pharaoh! Why would Ryou want him back?"

"I can't answer that," Yuugi said, her voice strained. She wanted to yell at them they would _never _understand, but instead she swallowed hard. "Look, what they wanted in return wasn't what I thought it would be. I've been having a little difficulty adjusting to it and I'm going to ask that you please try not to freak out." Anzu was leaning forward again, probably intending to offer sympathy or support, and Yuugi pushed forward, spitting it out before the brunette could speak. "I'm a girl."

It was interesting how fast a silence could fall.

"You're... you're a what?" Anzu breathed finally.

"A girl. As in, I'm no longer a boy. And so is Ryou." Unconsciously, she straightened her spine. It had the unintentional effect of pushing her chest out and all eyes dropped to that region, as though they could see through the double layer of bandages and her uniform's shirt. Yuugi squirmed and added, "I just woke up this way. It's not like I wanted it to happen, but if it means getting Mou Hitori no Boku back, then it's worth it."

"Yuugi, you... are you sure?" It seemed like a stupid question, but it was the only thing Anzu could think of to say, and Jou and Honda certainly weren't ready to speak. Jou had apparently stopped breathing and Honda was just outright staring.

"I'm pretty sure, Anzu-chan." There was an air of sarcasm evident as Yuugi finally stopped forcibly lowering her voice. The strain it put on her throat was incredible. Anzu jerked backwards, her blue eyes widening, when she heard that feminine sound emerging from her previously male best friend. Unable to resist, Yuugi added, "If you really require physical evidence, I could show you, but there are some parts of me that I'd prefer remain a mystery if that's all the same to you."

Anzu nodded dumbly. "Sure."

"So you're... you're a girl now," Honda said, scratching his head. "Like, a real girl. With, err, boobs and everything."

"Yes," Yuugi said slowly. "I am a girl."

Jou shook his head suddenly, like a dog shaking off water after a bath. There was something wild in his eyes as he looked into the air above Yuugi's head. "You said there was something you had to tell Malik and Isis. I assume it was…_ that_. What was it they had to tell you?"

"Yami Malik has returned." She spoke the words flatly, without giving a hint of warning. The effect was interesting. Jou's face twisted and he whirled away, striding over to the door, where he stood for a few minutes, staring out at the street with his shoulders shaking. Honda sank back onto the couch. Anzu put her face in her hands and her shoulders began to tremble.

"My god," she whispered. "It's happening all over again."

Yuugi tried hard not to wince. "It appears so."

"Has there been any sign of Yami?" Jou asked. He didn't turn around.

She bowed her head. "No."

"And... and _this_." He turned, finally, and gestured to her. His breathing was coming too quickly. "Is this what caused Yami Malik to return?"

"Jou – "

"Is it?"

"I... I don't know," Yuugi said softly, because it was true. Isis didn't think so, but when it came to shadow magic, there were no coincidences.

Jou stared at her for a few seconds, face hard, before he gave a sharp nod and stalked out of the room. The slamming of the door made them all wince. Honda cast Yuugi a helpless glance before he stood up and followed after Jou, no doubt wanting to talk some sense into his friend. Anzu got to her feet as well but lingered, looking at Yuugi. She wanted to offer some kind of comfort to her friend, but she didn't know how to do that. Yuugi's announcements had thrown them all for a loop.

"Yuugi…" she began uselessly.

"Just go, Anzu." Yuugi didn't look up. "Just go."

"But I..." Anzu trailed off, pain flashing across her eyes. She backed away before turning to leave, and her last glimpse of Yuugi was of the smaller girl staring hopelessly out the window.

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Please review!

**Note:** Camp NaNo starts on June 1st and I have no idea what to write, but it could be a YGO fanfic if I can think of a plot. If you have a prompt you want to see me tackle, now's your chance to throw it at me.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:** You're getting this a day early 'cause it's a long weekend where I am. Now, I gather a lot of you were surprised by the last chapter and the reactions of Yuugi's friends. No need to worry; they're all still friends and they'll come back together, but... it was a huge shock and I didn't want everything to be rainbows and butterflies right away. I'm getting questions about when Yami and Bakura will come in and I'll say that it might be a couple more chapters still. There's something specific that has to happen first and I'm building up to it. You'll understand in the end, I promise. Enjoy!

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The rest of that night and the next morning were some of the longest hours that Mutou Yuugi had ever spent. She left Ryou's house not long after her friends had and went straight home. Her grandfather and mother were thankfully both out, so she went upstairs, turned off her cell phone, and got into bed, relieved that she didn't have to talk to anyone and try to pretend that she was in a better mood than she was. Her thoughts and feelings had combined into one confusing, complex maelstrom that she couldn't sort out for the life of her, and the resulting lack of sleep left her starting the day with a pout and a cranky attitude.

By time school was over, she was ready to put her head down on the desk and admit defeat when it came to the world in general. Ryou seemed to sense that the talk had not gone well and had kept a fair distance all day. Jou hadn't even glanced in her general direction, and he'd been the first one out of the room during breaks. Honda had been absent from class – something about the clean-up patrol he had recently joined – and Anzu wouldn't stop staring at her. It was all combining to give her a horrendous headache. Yuugi propped her chin up on one hand, tiredly rubbing at her temples, and wondered if maybe it was time to accept that she should be going to Yami instead of the other way around.

"You know that Jou will come around, don't you?"

"You say that, but you don't know that," Yuugi responded automatically. It seemed that Anzu had finally made her move. She raised her eyes tiredly and realized that, including Ryou, they were the only three people left in the room. The white-haired girl hesitated, gaze flicking briefly towards the door, before she walked over to Yuugi and stood beside her, arms folded, in a show of support. Anzu glanced between the two of them and bravely soldiered on.

"He _will_," she said emphatically, re-focusing her attention on Yuugi. "Jou really loves you, Yuugi, and he would never let something like this come between you. Especially not when you need him the most. You're his best friend, his brother." Anzu hesitated and then smiled weakly. "Well, sister, I guess."

"He was upset about Yami Malik."

"We all are, but we're also more worried about both of you and what that might mean for you," Anzu replied.

"He doesn't like Malik."

Anzu sighed and ran a hand through her dark brown hair in frustration at the seemingly endless list of excuses. "Yuugi, can you really blame him? Jou was just surprised to see that Malik and Isis were back in town, that's all. None of us were expecting... well, any of it. And I know that what happened in Battle City wasn't Malik's fault, but..." She looked down at the floor and shrugged. "What can I say? It was a shock and all of us handled it badly. I just don't want you to take things the wrong way."

"But it was a big shock for us, too," Ryou told her, reaching out and resting a hand on Yuugi's shoulder. Yuugi paused before leaning into the contact.

"I know." Anzu's blue eyes softened. "I could tell how freaked out both of you were. I should have realized something was up on Saturday but I was distracted." She drummed her fingers on the desk and spoke in an uncharacteristically shy way. "But you know, I... I think it's very brave of you to want to do this. Sacrificing something like this that's so much a part of you just to give someone else a chance at life is a noble thing to do. I'm not sure that I could do it."

The words were no doubt meant to help, but they were only serving to make Yuugi feel worse. This was one of the reasons that she had been reluctant to tell them her friends the truth. What she and Ryou had done wasn't noble, not at all; it was _selfish_. She didn't want to suffer anymore. Ryou didn't want to be alone. There was nothing decent or... or _good_ about that. Still, she knew that she wouldn't have been able to explain that to Anzu even if she tried. No one else could understand what it was like to be left feeling so empty, like there was a part of you that was missing. Yami had taken a part of her with him when he left and she wanted it back; she wanted _Yami _back and she had decided it was worth the price to get him, plain and simple. She didn't like that Anzu was trying to glorify it.

"Thank you," she said finally, giving her friend a half-hearted smile. There was no sense in voicing the thoughts running through her mind. "I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, Anzu. And I'm sorry that I'm not being very good company today. It's just... a lot to take in."

"That's alright, Yuugi. We all have our off days." Anzu stood up and swung her bag onto her shoulder. "I'm going to head out, but I might stop for ice cream on the way home. Do you want to come?" she asked encouragingly.

"No."

"I'll come," Ryou said impulsively, collecting her bag. Anzu was giving her a sideways look that practically screamed 'don't you think you should stay with Yuugi?' but Ryou pretended that she hadn't noticed. It was plain to her that Yuugi needed some time alone to come to terms with what happened and no one, not even Ryou, could help her through that if Yuugi didn't want them to. She walked towards the door and heard Anzu follow.

"Are you sure it was okay to leave Yuugi alone?" the brunette asked the second the door was shut behind them.

"I don't think she really wants company," Ryou replied. The corridor was empty, as most of the students in the school would have rushed outside en masse the second the bell rang. "Listen, Anzu-chan. I think I was where Yuugi is now on Sunday." She looked straight ahead, focusing her attention on the bulletin board at the very end of the hall. "I spent the day by myself and I... Well, it's not a good place to be. I kept second guessing myself and thinking that I was being ridiculous, only to turn around and remember why I was doing it in the first place." Her jaw tightened. "Yuugi has to come to terms with the choice she made. It would have been better if she could've done that before she had to tell you guys the truth, but she didn't, and now she's paying for it."

Anzu frowned at Ryou's back and sighed. "There's no going back, is there?"

"No. And even if there was, I wouldn't want to. Even if..." She closed her eyes and swallowed. "Let's just say I think Yuugi has to come to the same conclusion." Ryou wasn't lying. Sunday had easily been one of the worst days of her life, and she'd been utterly exhausted by that night, barely making it to bed before she fell asleep. But by the time she woke up on Monday, though, she'd felt... better. More balanced. Like accepting that she had made her choice and she was going to stick with it, come what may, had put her back together. Yuugi would reach that point as well, eventually.

"You must... really miss Bakura." There was a fair amount of hesitancy in Anzu's voice, and for good reason. Ryou's back had stiffened as soon as the statement was out, hanging in the air between them like a tangible storm cloud.

"I know you think I'm crazy," Ryou mumbled, stopping.

"I didn't say that."

"But you were thinking it. I heard Honda say as much." Reluctantly, she turned around, meeting Anzu's gaze. "You can't understand what it's like, Anzu-chan. Bakura wasn't very nice to me a lot of time, that's true, but he was still my yami. After having him be a part of me for so long, his absence feels like a hole inside of me." Unconsciously, she put a shaking hand to her chest. "Nothing else can fill it and I'm tired of living this way. I never knew that a hole could weigh so much."

For a few seconds, Anzu just stared at Ryou, and her lips tightened, pressing into a thin line. Suddenly, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Ryou's shoulders and pulling the smaller girl into a tight embrace. Ryou squeaked in shock and froze, uncertain of how to respond to the unexpected hug. Anzu didn't seem to mind the reaction; she just tightened her grip even more and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Ryou-kun. Ryou-chan. We've been so worried about Yuugi that we forgot about you. We're your friends, too, and we've been ignoring you. I'm sorry. And I... I don't think you're crazy for wanting Bakura back. Not at all."

The genuine emotion in Anzu's voice made tears pool in Ryou's eyes. She tried in vain to blink them back, but they welled up and spilled over, sliding silently down her cheeks as a sob caught in her throat. It had been a long time since anyone had offered her comfort like this. Closing her eyes, she dropped her head onto Anzu's shoulder. "I miss him so much."

There was nothing Anzu could say to that.

**INC**

As soon as Ryou and Anzu were gone, Yuugi put her head down on the desk and groaned out loud. Anzu had been trying her hardest to offer a show of support and friendship and Yuugi had been a bitch for no good reason. It wasn't Anzu's fault that she was unable to understand. The right thing to do would be to apologize to her friend, but that was the last thing she felt like doing. She opened her eyes and stared down at the desk, which was so close to her face that the words and pictures carved into the wood by generations of students had blurred into an unrecognizable smear.

Why did this have to be so hard? She was slowly but surely coming to terms with the fact that she was a girl now. It was strange and bizarre, and still a shock to wake up to first thing in the morning, but she was getting there. What she didn't understand, and what made this so hard, was why Yami hadn't returned yet. Granted, Dark Magician had never explicitly told her when the pharaoh would return, but Yuugi had assumed - mistakenly, apparently - that Yami would show up as soon as the sacrifice had been done. Waiting for him, knowing that there was a chance he might someday show up, was starting to wear on her. In some ways, it was worse than knowing he would never be coming back.

"_Are_ you going to come back?" she whispered into her hands. "Or was this all just part of Yami Malik's plan?"

That was the thing that was scaring her the most, one of the things that had kept her awake the night before, running endlessly through her mind until she thought she would go crazy. What if there had never been a chance of Yami and Bakura returning? What if this had all been some trick from Yami Malik? The timing was just too coincidental... her instincts were telling her that there _had_ to be something more to this. Yuugi could live as a girl for the rest of her life. She could even do it happily - as long as she had Yami back. Even if they went their separate ways, just knowing that Yami was alive would be enough. But the thought of being... like this... and knowing it had been for no reason...

"And here I thought that sulking was something the Game King would never lower himself to."

Yuugi jumped, startled out of her thoughts, and nearly fell backwards before she caught herself on the edge of the desk. Her head snapped around, her heart skipping a beat, as she spotted Seto standing in the doorway of the classroom. He'd entered and had even shut the door behind him without her noticing. She stared at him for a couple of minutes, speechless, only just realizing how stupid she had been to sit in here alone. Hadn't Malik and Isis just warned her and Ryou that it was dangerous to be alone? And she'd practically handed Yami Malik the opportunity to do something just because she wanted to sit here and feel sorry for herself. A shudder worked its way down her spine and she sat up straighter, suddenly grateful for the intrusion.

"I'm not really the Game King anymore," she replied once his words had finally processed. "So I guess that a bit of sulking might be allowed."

Seto raised an eyebrow at that and stalked over to one of the desks in the far corner, where he usually sat. He lifted the top and removed a slender object, which he slipped into his pocket too quickly for her to see what it was. "I'm amazed the rest of the losers actually left you here by yourself. I thought you were all joined at the hip." His icy blue eyes swept over her, silently assessing, and then he raised an eyebrow. "You told them the truth."

"Yes." Yuugi absently brushed a golden bang aside and sighed. "I did. They didn't take it very well. Anzu tried to apologize to me but I'm afraid it didn't go over very well."

"And now you feel guilty," he noted, sounding almost amused by the idea. Yuugi blinked at him, realizing that Seto likely hadn't experienced much guilt in his life. He was the kind of person who took charge and did what he had to do, regardless of what it took. At the moment, she kind of envied that. He turned to leave and she leaned forward.

"Where are you going?"

Surprisingly, he actually answered. "To Mokuba's school."

"Oh." Yuugi paused and nibbled on a fingernail. Then, just as he was walking through the door, she gathered her courage and blurted out, "Can I come?"

He turned his head and looked at her for a second, eyebrow lifted so high it was brushing his hairline. She wasn't sure what he saw, or what he thought he saw, but it must have been enough to convince him, because he didn't say no as he swept out of the room, coat billowing behind him. She took that as an invitation and jumped up from the desk, stuffing things haphazardly into her backpack, before she ran after him.

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Please review!


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! I'm pleased by how this chapter turned out; I was able to include something that I've been waiting to put into the story from the beginning. Enjoy!

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To say that Mokuba was shocked and bewildered by the sight of Mutou Yuugi and Kaiba Seto together in the same limo was an understatement. The younger boy arched an eyebrow in a perfect imitation of his big brother as he climbed into the car and allowed the driver to shut the door behind him. Seto looked up from his laptop and gave his sibling a warm smile in greeting, but he didn't speak and Mokuba took no offence to that, recognizing the thin line between Seto's eyebrows that meant the older boy was working on something particularly taxing. Instead, he turned his attention to Yuugi, who looked nervous.

"Hi, Yuugi. What are you doing here?" Mokuba asked, putting his backpack down on the seat.

"Oh, nothing much," Yuugi said, unconsciously drumming her fingers against her thigh. "I needed a break. I thought I would come and play with you for a while, if that's alright."

"The Game Queen wants to come and play with me? Like you really need an invitation," he teased, hoping to make her feel more at ease.

Yuugi blinked at him and then giggled. "The Game Queen. I like it," she said, her eyes softening slightly. Mokuba grinned back at her and scooted closer, reaching into his bag for a handful of the new capsule monsters that had just been released earlier that week. He showed them to Yuugi and she leaned over to see them better. The two of them fell into a deep discussion immediately, oblivious to the fact that every once in a while, Seto would glance up from his work to check on them.

In due time, the limo pulled up to the Kaiba mansion and the driver opened the door. Yuugi got out first, followed by Mokuba and then Seto, who immediately strode towards the door and disappeared into the depths of the mansion, leaving them behind. She couldn't help feeling a little disappointed even as Mokuba took her hand and towed her along to his game room. Sometimes it felt like her tentative friendship with Seto was always of a 'one step forward, two steps back' nature. Would she ever be able to get the stoic brunette to open up a little?

"So what's the real reason you're here?" The sudden question surprise her as Mokuba pushed the door closed behind them and gestured for her to take a seat. She sat down on the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs as he continued, "No offence, but somehow I can't see _any_ high school student taking the time to come play with a kid like me. Even you're not that nice."

"Like I said, I just needed a break," Yuugi told him. "I'm sorry if you feel like I'm intruding."

"I didn't say that." He walked over to the television and surreptitiously looked at her over his shoulder as he began setting the game console up. Yuugi didn't look very good. There were dark circles under her eyes and she looked even smaller than normal, curled up into a little ball as she was. Seto would never admit it, but he suspected that his brother had been taken in after seeing his rival in such a miserable state. Whether he liked it or not, Seto had started caring about Mutou Yuugi in some way, even if it was just on the level of a fellow gamer. "You're always welcome here."

A thin smile crossed her lips. "Thanks. What are we playing?"

"New game by Kaiba Corp. Hasn't even been released on the market yet." As long as she was here, he figured they might as well get something out of it. Fans would go crazy for a game that had been personally tested by the Game 'King'. Judging by the twinkle in her eyes, Yuugi knew exactly what he was thinking. She uncurled and sat up, reaching eagerly for the controller.

"Let's play!"

Several hours later, Seto poked his head into the room and was greeted by the sight of the two teens yelling frantically at the screen. Mokuba was laughing and Yuugi was swearing under her breath as she frantically fought to make her character obey her commands. He leaned against the doorframe and watched curiously, realizing that she had progressed much further through the game than their top-paid testers. Figured. It should have been aggravating, but considering that he, like his brother, was already seeing the potential profit that could result it wasn't quite as annoying as he would have thought. Still…

"Mokuba, it's time for you to do your homework."

Flustered by his sudden interruption, Yuugi instinctively hit the pause button. Her body felt tired and sore from the workout, but she was humming with adrenaline. "Your new game is fantastic," she said enthusiastically, sliding the electronic arm sheaths off as she spun around to face Seto. It was a prototype of a game that had the player standing on a work-out map that, combined with the mock-body armor, registered their every movement. The character in the game would react accordingly, meaning that the game depended heavily on the gamer's own physical skills to work. "I think it's going to be a huge success."

"It's from Kaiba Corp, so that's a given," Seto replied with a smirk.

She just rolled her eyes and finished taking the armor off. "I didn't realize it was getting so late. I need to be getting home."

"But you'll come back, right?" Mokuba asked quickly. It had been fascinating to watch Yuugi take on the game. Her every move was calculated and she had put everything she had into the game, and yet she never lost sight of the fact that it was meant to be fun. "I want to see you beat it."

"Sure." Yuugi grinned and ran a hand through her hair. "It was fun."

"The car is waiting to take you home," Seto broke in before they could make any definite plans. Mokuba raised a knowing eyebrow at that and Seto scowled in reply. Normally he wouldn't have cared about Yuugi walking home alone, but not even he was cruel enough to allow a teenaged girl who looked deceptively young and innocent to be outside after dark. It was asking for trouble that he didn't want to be a part of. He folded his arms. "Mokuba, go start your homework before dinner is ready."

"Yes, Nii-sama," the boy muttered with a pout. "Bye Yuugi."

"Bye Mokuba-kun." Yuugi picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder as she followed Seto out of the room. He led her to the front door, where she hesitated. "Seto… thank you."

He gave her a disinterested look and stalked away without saying goodbye, but Yuugi wasn't offended. She just smiled to herself and slipped outside, closing the door behind her. It had been surprisingly fun way to spend the afternoon; she had enjoyed being able to forget about everything that had been pressing on her mind for the past few days. She got into the car and leaned her head against the window, looking out the rain with a dreamy gaze as the driver pulled the car away from the curb.

In what seemed like no time at all, they were back at the Kame Game Shop. Yuugi got out of the car and looked up at the driver. "Thanks," she said, waving at her grandfather.

"You look like you're feeling better," Sugoroku observed as she walked over to him. He was standing outside sweeping the sidewalk in an effort to get rid of some of the dust that customers regularly tracked into the store. "Where have you been? Your mother tried to call you a few times and got no answer."

"With some friends," Yuugi replied, beaming at him. For the first time, she was feeling like the Kaiba brothers really were her friends, even if Seto probably would have denied it with his dying breath, and that made her happier than she could remember being for a long time. "Do you want some help, Jii-chan?"

"No, I'm alright." He chuckled softly, buoyed by seeing the light in her eyes. "Why don't you go take a shower and I'll make us some popcorn and hot chocolate?"

"On a school night? Awesome!" She bounded into the shop and straight up the stairs, pleased by the thought of a treat for dinner. There was no sign of her mother, so she went into her room and gathered pajamas and some fresh bandages before heading back to the bathroom. The physical aspects of the game she'd been playing had left her feeling hot and sticky and she stripped down quickly, tossing her clothing into the corner. Looking forward to a hot shower, she turned and switched the water on.

Behind her, unnoticed by Yuugi because the roar from the water was so loud, the bathroom door knob began to jiggle. It was an old lock, just one of the many things around the house that Sugoroku had not been able to afford to have replaced, and it didn't always lock properly. The knob rattled harder and finally started to turn. Seconds later, the door swung open just as Yuugi spun around, and her mother walked in.

**INC**

Ryou had been having a surprisingly pleasant day. After speaking to Anzu in the hall, the two girls had gone down to the schoolyard just in time to see Yuugi leaving with Kaiba Seto. Anzu had been a little alarmed by the sight, but Ryou wasn't. She'd seen more contentment on Yuugi's face in that moment than she had since the whole mess had begun. Granted, it did seem a little odd to her that Yuugi was seeking solace in the Kaiba brothers, of all people, but it wasn't like Ryou was in a position to judge. She was, after all, the one who wanted to revive her psychotic, possibly murderous yami.

Following that, she and Anzu actually did go and get ice cream together. By unspoken agreement, they didn't mention the yamis or shadow magic or Yami Malik, and Ryou found that it was actually nice to speak to someone about mundane, everyday things like school. Unsurprisingly, Anzu proved to be an excellent listener, and her genuine interest in learning more about Ryou's life had led the white-haired girl to share more details than she'd been expecting to. For the first time in years, she was able to tell someone else about her big sister, and in return, she learned more about Anzu's family. She was sorry when they realized what time it was and got up to leave.

It was starting to rain as they walked out of the ice cream shop, and Anzu groaned and held her bag over her head. "So much for it being sunny all day," she said with exasperation.

"No kidding," Ryou muttered, holding a protective hand over her hair. The thought of the tangles she'd have to comb out later made her cringe. "It's getting dark really fast," she noted, glancing up at the dark clouds. A drop of water hit her right in the eye and, startled, she shook her head as Anzu giggled. "Do you want me to walk you home, Anzu-chan?"

"No, I'll be fine. My house is only a couple of blocks away," Anzu replied. "See you tomorrow, Ryou-chan."

"Just remember, you can't call me that at school." In spite of her scolding, Ryou was smiling. She saw it as a good sign that Anzu was starting to call her that without thinking, as it meant that the brunette was adapting to the situation quickly, but it would cause trouble if Anzu slipped up and forgot.

"Don't worry, I won't. Bye!" With a wave of her hand, Anzu turned and started hurrying up the street as the rain began to fall harder. Ryou stood and watched until Anzu had gone around the corner before she headed in the opposite direction, not even bothering to shield her face anymore. Her house was a good fifteen minute walk from the downtown area, and she would be soaked by the time she got home no matter what she did.

There weren't very many people on the streets anymore, and she was keenly aware of the fact that she was alone. Unconsciously, she picked up her pace until she was running. Her breath came in soft pants as she moved, escaping her mouth in small clouds of white. The temperature had dropped and it was getting cold, though for once, she didn't think the Shadow Realm had anything to do with it. Fog rose around her ankles, obscuring the puddles forming on the sidewalks, and she grimaced, swearing softly under her breath when she stepped in one and it completely soaked her shoes.

"Damn!" she hissed, lifting her head just in time to see her house come into view. With a smooth motion, she hopped her neighbor's fence and ran across the wet grass to her own walkway. She was in such a rush to get inside the building that she didn't even notice the small, huddled form on the front steps until she almost tripped over it.

"Yuugi!" Ryou exclaimed, stopping just in time. Her keys dangled limply from her hands as she tilted her head. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Ryou." Yuugi smiled weakly in greeting. If possible, she was even more soaked than Ryou. Her hair was plastered to her head, and water was running down her face. A closer look revealed that the water wasn't all from the sky - she was_ crying_. Instantly concerned, Ryou crouched in front of her, heedless of the icy rain trickling down her neck.

"What happened?" she asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

Yuugi bit her lip as her chin trembled. "My mom kicked me out. Do you think I could stay with you?"

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Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! I had a lot of people mention that what Koto did seems very harsh. Well, as I'm sure some of us can attest to, sometimes there's just no rhyme or reason to anger or hatred. She's reacting the same way I've heard stories of parents reacting when their children tell them that they are gay, or transgender, or any number of lifestyle choices that someone might not agree with. Her reaction may not be understandable but sometimes that's just the way it is. I hope that helps to clarify things a bit. Enjoy!

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For several long minutes, Koto merely stared in shocked silence. Her eyes moved up and down Yuugi's body slowly and her expression contorted as she struggled to understand what she was seeing. Yuugi swallowed hard and, her hands shaking, started to reach for a towel, and that seemed to snap her mother out of her daze. Abruptly, Koto shook her head and retreated, slamming the door so hard that it bounced in the frame, and then her footsteps could be heard pounding down the stairs. Her heart sinking, Yuugi dropped the towel and took a moment to get dressed, pulling the clothing she had brought in with her on with numb fingers.

"Koto-chan, what are you talking about? Please try to calm down," Sugoroku was pleading. He had just finished closing the game shop up when his daughter-in-law had come flying down the stairs, babbling something about Yuugi. "Take a deep breath and repeat yourself. I can't understand you when you're this upset."

"Yuugi, he… I… _That_!" Koto managed to gasp out, pointing over his shoulder. Sugoroku turned and looked blankly at Yuugi, who was standing in the doorway biting her lip.

"Yuugi? What about him?" he asked.

"Not _him_!" she said with a laugh that bordered on hysterical, pushing past him. She marched over to Yuugi and grabbed the girl's shirt, twisting it so that the fabric pulled tightly against Yuugi's chest. Sugoroku's jaw dropped and Yuugi flinched.

"Please," Yuugi begged, placing a hand on Koto's arm. "Mom, listen to me, I can explain. It's… I was offered the chance to bring Mou hitori no boku back and I…" As soon as she said it, she knew that she should have kept her mouth shut. Koto was staring at her and it was not in a good way.

Koto had never liked Yami and she'd never pretended otherwise. Granted, she had never actually met the spirit, but from what little she had heard from her son combined with what she had pieced together on her own, she vehemently disapproved of anyone who could put her child into so much danger. The Millennium Items themselves sounded like something out of a children's horror story and she had scolded Yuugi harshly for keeping the puzzle instead of getting rid of it the instant he was possessed. She had always been a little worried about her son, who took after Sugoroku in what she considered to be flights of fancy and obsessions with games, and this had been more over the top than she was willing to bear. The subsequent pining that Yuugi had been undergoing for the past few months was not helping the matter, and now_ this_?

"You…" she said, her voice a harsh rasp as she shook Yuugi's hand off. "You did this… on purpose?"

"Kaa-san… Please…" There was desperation in Yuugi's tear-filled eyes. She could tell that this was rapidly taking a course that would do none of them any good. "Yami is a part of me. I need to be with him. If you would just listen to me, if you would give him a chance, I know you would like him."

"Don't call me that," Koto said coldly, taking a step backwards. "You're not my son."

Yuugi stared at her, speechless.

"My son… He would never do the kinds of things that you're doing, that you've done. He wasn't involved in dangerous magic, and he never would have been like… like _you_. He was a good little boy who had enjoyed life and had crushes on girls and wanted to be a video game tester when he grew up, but he would have been a doctor if he thought it would make me happy." Her eyes misted over. "You are not my son. Get out of my house."

"Koto-chan!" Sugoroku exclaimed as Yuugi recoiled. "That's not your choice to make. This is Yuugi's home and he…" He paused and shot Yuugi an unreadable look. "_She _will always have a place here."

"Listen to yourself!" Koto yelled. "You're actually defending it?"

Hearing her mother refer to her as an "it" was the last straw. With a ragged sob, Yuugi spun on her heel and darted up the stairs. She would do as her mother said, but there was no way she was leaving the house without her deck. Unfortunately, Koto ran after her, shoving the door open when Yuugi tried to close it behind her. "Leave me alone! I'm going!" Yuugi cried, shuffling desperately through her uniform in search of her cards.

"Get out! Get out!" Koto was screaming. She latched onto the uniform and began trying to pull it away from Yuugi. "Don't touch my baby's things. Get out!"

"Koto! Stop this at once!" The stairs were difficult for Sugoroku to manage in his old age, so he was a little further behind his daughter-in-law and granddaughter. He hobbled upwards as quickly as possible, not wanting to leave the two of them alone for any length of time in case the situation escalated. Suddenly, his worst fears were confirmed when he heard a muffled thump, the sickly sound of flesh striking flesh. His heart nearly stopped and he bounded up the last few stairs, heedless of the resulting twinge of pain from his aching hip, tearing into the room at a run.

Yuugi was standing in the middle of the room, one hand pressed to her reddened cheek, a look of shock on her face. Her dueling cards lay at her feet in a messy pile. Koto was standing across from her, one hand clutching the uniform to her chest, the other still outstretched in the air. She was panting loudly and crying. Sugoroku stared at both of them in stunned disbelief for several seconds, holding onto the doorframe for support while he struggled to regain his breath. Anger swelled in his chest and he started to take a step forward, glaring at Koto.

"Don't, Jii-chan." Yuugi's voice had gone curiously flat. All of the emotion had drained out of it. Her hands dropped to her sides and Sugoroku winced at the sight of the bright red flesh, shaped neatly into a vivid hand print. It would likely develop into an ugly bruise. Yuugi knelt and mechanically gathered her cards into a neat pile before she stood up, avoiding looking at either of them. "I'm going."

"Yuugi, please. You don't have to do this," Sugoroku said quietly, desperately. He wanted to grab the girl and hold her in place, protect her, but Yuugi just looked at him with too bright eyes and shook her head. She walked past him and down the stairs and right out the front door of the game shop. The door closed behind her and Sugoroku was pretty sure he felt something inside of him break.

"What have you done?" he asked Koto, turning to look at her. His voice was shaking and it was taking a great deal of effort to remain calm when all he wanted to do was grab the woman and shake her until she came to her senses. "What is the matter with you? How could you treat your child that way?"

"That's not my child," she said harshly. "My son…"

"Is now a girl and that shouldn't make a difference to you!" Realizing that he was shouting and starting to lose his temper, Sugoroku stepped backwards and shook his head. It wouldn't do any good to talk to Koto now, he realized. She was shaking, her face streaked with tears, and after many years he was well acquainted with the obstinate look in her eyes. No matter what he said, she wouldn't listen, and he would have better luck if he waited. He shook his head and turned to leave, but couldn't resist making one last passing comment. "Daichi would have been ashamed of you."

At the mention of her late husband, Koto's face turned white and a low cry tumbled from her lips. She fell to her knees, face buried in the uniform, as Sugoroku stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him. He walked slowly back down the stairs and into the kitchen, where he took the whistling kettle off of the stove and unplugged the popcorn maker. Instead of hot chocolate, which he no longer felt in the mood for, he made a pot of tea and sat down at the kitchen table. Then he pulled out his cell phone and sent a four word text to his granddaughter before pouring himself a cup of tea.

_Yuugi, I love you_.

**INC**

Ryou sat back in amazement as Yuugi finished telling her story, concluding with the long, frigid walk over. She'd prodded her friend into taking a hot shower and had come up with a pair of Amane's old pajamas for Yuugi to wear. Even though they were pink and the top had lace on it, Yuugi hadn't complained, which worried Ryou even more. Her friend hadn't shown an iota of emotion since they'd at down, reciting the encounter with her mother in a strangely flat voice. In the stark light of the kitchen, Ryou could tell that the red mark on her cheek had deepened into a vivid dark purple bruise that turned yellow and green at the edges. It was in the shape of a small hand and the skin around the bruise was swollen and inflamed. It had to hurt, but Yuugi hadn't complained and she'd set aside the ice pack Ryou had given her.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi," she said finally, wishing that she knew how to offer the smaller girl some comfort. Should she hug Yuugi? Make them some tea? Call Anzu? "You know you can stay here with me for as long as you want, right? I don't mind."

"I don't want to impose on you," Yuugi said, looking down at her hands.

"You're not," Ryou told her immediately, and that was the honest truth. Horrible though it might be, she was enjoying having someone else in the house. "Here, why don't I make us some tea? You still look cold. And you must be hungry. I was watching you at lunch today. You didn't eat anything."

Yuugi smiled a little. "You're such a worrier," she said. Her voice broke on the last word, turning what was meant to be a light-hearted comment into a prelude to tears as her face crumbled. Ryou forgot all about the tea and fairly leapt across the kitchen, previous uncertainty forgotten as she wrapped her arms around Yuugi's shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Don't worry. It will be okay. Shh, it's alright," she whispered into Yuugi's hair, the arsenal of soothing platitudes rolling smoothly off of her tongue. Yuugi was very quiet as she cried, and Ryou wouldn't have even known she was if it weren't for the subtle shaking of Yuugi's shoulders. She gently rubbed her hand across the small back and tried in vain to remember what else her mother used to do when she was upset, but it was so long ago and Ryou was so used to just bearing pain in silence that she ended up just standing there and shedding a few tears herself.

"Thank you, Ryou," Yuugi mumbled after a long time. Hours might have passed and Ryou's legs were cramping but she didn't care. She patted Yuugi's back one last time and then stepped back.

"It's okay," she said again. "Go upstairs and get into bed, Yuugi. I'm going to lock the doors and then I'll be right up."

Yuugi nodded and pulled away, brushing at her sticky cheeks. She hurried out of the room and Ryou leaned against the table and wiped her own face. Her knees felt weak. She'd always known that Yuugi's mother was not a very nice person, but she had never imagined that the woman would stoop_ that_ low. It made her think of her own father and how he might react to the news. The very thought made her want to throw up. Her father was a very traditional man and his reaction… oh dear Ra. There was no way that would go well. She would be fortunate to get off as lightly as Yuugi had, and that seemed cruel to think in the face of Yuugi's misery, but it was true.

Ryou put her head down on the table and prayed.

"Would you change it?"

"What the!" Ryou jumped and spun around. Change of Heart was standing right behind her. "Where did you - "

"I asked you a question," said the duel monster. "Right here, right now… if you had the chance to change back… would you?"

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Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! Yes, you know I love my twists and I did promise there was a reason that Yami and Bakura hadn't shown up yet. Now as you read this chapter, know that in spite of my best efforts, I cackled like a madwoman while I was writing it, especially the ending. But bursting out into fits of seemingly random fits of giggles tends to get me odd looks from my co-workers, so yeah. Enjoy!

**Note:** Camp NaNo (you write 50,000 words in one month on a new original story, basically) begins today. I will do my best to keep my updates coming regularly, but six stories plus camp is insane, even for me. You're going to have to bear with me during June.

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Cold. She was so cold all over, except for her cheek, which was burning hot with pain. Yuugi looked into the bathroom mirror and shivered, rubbing her hands over the goose flesh on her arms in an effort to warm herself up. As expected, it did little and she gave up, washing her hands and then wandering slowly down the hall and into Ryou's bedroom. The bed had been neatly made, and normally she would have felt bad about being the one to disturb it, but at that moment all she could think about was being warm. Quickly, she pulled the sheets and covers back and crawled inside, wrapping them around her tightly.

Fresh pain flared when she tried to lie on her side and she sighed, rolling onto her back instead. Her stomach ached slightly as thoughts of her mother and grandfather crowded in on her. Never, not even following the death of her father, had she ever seen Mutou Koto as angry as she had been earlier that night. Yuugi touched her cheek gingerly and flinched, but even though it made the pain that must worse she couldn't stop herself from prodding at the bruise. She'd never been struck before, not like _that_. Not from someone she loved and trusted.

"How has this all gone so wrong?" she asked the ceiling, closing her eyes against the familiar sting of tears. In the past week she had done more crying than she had in the past year, and she didn't want to cry again. It wouldn't solve anything.

"Would you change it, if you could?"

"Fuck!" The shocked exclamation escaped before Yuugi could bite it back as she bolted upright. Dark Magician Girl was hovering above the end of the bed, looking kind of amused at her reaction. Yuugi stared at her, unconsciously pulling the blankets more tightly around her. "Mana? What are you doing here?"

"I came to ask you a question," the girl replied, landing lightly on the edge of the bed. Even though she appeared to be standing on the mattress, her feet left no indentations on the sheets. It was as though she was weightless. "You have one chance, little master. If you really wanted to change back… to undo all of the harm that has been trespassed against your soul… it could be done."

The familiar words silenced anything that might have come out of Yuugi's mouth. She just stared at Dark Magician Girl for a few seconds without speaking. Finally, she whispered, "Are you saying I could be a boy again?"

"If that is what you desired."

"But that means Mou hitori no boku… Yami… he wouldn't come back."

"That's right."

Yuugi narrowed her eyes slightly. "Will he come back if I stay a girl?"

Dark Magician Girl shifted uncomfortably. "I can't say."

So that was the crux of the matter, then. Yuugi blew her breath out in a sigh that ruffled her golden bangs. What was she supposed to do or say? Did she take the chance that Yami might be able to return and stay female in hopes that he would? But what would she do if it blew up in her face? Was she prepared to spend the rest of her life as a girl even if he never came back? The thought was less than appealing, but then, could she live as a boy and know that there was a chance she could have gotten her other half back? She opened her mouth and then closed it, a silent struggle evident on her face.

"You don't need to answer right away," Dark Magician Girl told her at last when it became clear that Yuugi had no answer. "You have exactly twelve hours to think the matter over. I will return then."

"Wait!" Yuugi cried, but Dark Magician Girl didn't. She leapt off of the edge of the bed and fell straight through the floor. Yuugi jumped out of the bed and ran over to the spot where the duel monster had disappeared, but the floor felt suspiciously solid to her touch. Moments later, the door burst open and Ryou rushed into the room, looking around wildly. Her alarmed gaze fell on Yuugi and she stepped forward.

"Did you…" she began.

"And she asked…"

"If I wanted…"

The two girls stared at each other in dismay.

**INC**

That night had to be top amongst the least amount of sleep that Ryou had ever gotten. She was conscious of every minute that was slipping by, knowing that she was coming ever closer to having to make a decision that she wasn't sure how to make. Her initial response was a resounding yes, and the fact that just the day before she had been so confident of herself and her decision to stay a girl was making her feel ashamed now. But that was before Yuugi's mother had kicked her out… before Ryou had been able to so perfectly envision her own father doing the exact same thing.

Yuugi shifted restlessly, drawing Ryou out of her thoughts, and sighed. "My stomach hurts," she said.

"You're probably hungry," Ryou muttered absently, rolling onto her side. That, or it was stress, but she didn't need to say as much to know that Yuugi was thinking the same thing. "Why don't you go grab a snack? There should be some leftover pasta."

"Alright." Yuugi climbed out of bed and walked out of the room. Ryou took the chance to spread out over the bed, hoping that it would ease the dull throbbing in her lower back, and buried her face in the pillows.

She wanted Bakura back. That wasn't even a question. Her yami's absence was beginning to drive Ryou crazy. But how much was she willing to give up to make that happen? Was it worth knowing that her father might come back and fly into a rage when he found out what had happened? Would Bakura even want to be around her when…_ if_ he returned? Or would he take one look at Ryou and walk out the door? Ryou smiled bitterly to herself, knowing that she would feel a hundred times better just knowing that Bakura was alive, even if she never saw him again. Ra but she was pathetic.

"Ryou!"

The panic in Yuugi's voice made her bolt upright, nearly cracking her head on the wall. She scrambled off of the bed and ran into the hall. "Yuugi, what's wrong?"

"I'm… I'm _bleeding_." The bathroom door flew open as Yuugi spoke and Ryou spun, scanning Yuugi quickly as the smaller girl joined her, expecting to see some kind of wound. But as far as she could tell, Yuugi was in one whole, healthy piece, and a puzzled frown spread across her face.

"No, you're not," she said, confused.

"Yes I am. Not up here. Down… there." She made a half-hearted gesture towards her lower half.

"Oh. _Oh_!" Ryou's hand flew up to her forehead with a resounding slap as understanding dawned. "Oh hell."

"What do I do?" Yuugi asked shakily.

This was the last thing they needed right now. Ryou shook her head helplessly. "Go sit down. I'm going to call for help," she said, turning on her heel and retreating down the steps. She sat down at the table and bent over, taking several deep breaths in an effort to control her panic. Her lower back throbbed and she massaged the spot gingerly without thinking before she froze. All of a sudden, she could remember Amane complaining of similar pains before her 'time of the month'. Oh hell. Oh _fuck_.

Right, time for reinforcements. Sister or not, there was no way she was going to be able to handle this alone. She grabbed the phone and paused, wondering who to call. Out of the women who knew about their predicament, only Isis and Anzu could be trusted. The thought of calling either of them wasn't overly appealing, but she finally decided that Anzu would be the lesser of the two evils, if only because if Isis knew, Malik would know, and that was a special kind of torture Ryou didn't think she could deal with at the moment. She dialed Anzu's number quickly and paced back and forth while she waited for someone to answer.

"Hello?" a sleepy voice finally said.

"Anzu-chan?" Ryou twisted and looked at the clock, belatedly realizing that it was just after six. "Oh Ra, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's fine." Anzu sounded a little more awake now that she knew who it was. "What's wrong?"

"Yuugi and I are having a small problem."

"What kind of problem?"

"A… _girl _problem," Ryou said desperately, praying that she wouldn't actually have to come right out and say it.

"A girl… oh!" There was a choked sound on the other end that may or may not have been a hastily muffled giggle. Ryou made a face and glared at the receiver, but she stayed silent as Anzu said, "Oh, I've been expecting this ever since Yuugi told us what happened. I wasn't sure it would happen so soon, though. I'd hoped for your sake you might be able to put it off a while longer. And _both_ of you? At the same time?"

"Not me yet," she admitted, her cheeks flushing pink. "But my back aches, and I remember my sister used to complain about that right before she… well."

"Ah yes, lucky you," Anzu murmured, still sounding a little amused. "Alright, Ryou-chan. I have to make a stop at the store and then I'll be right over. If either of you are in pain, try taking some aspirin. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Okay." She clicked off the phone and just stood there for a minute with a hand over her eyes before she wearily walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of pain reliever. Ryou shook a couple of pills out into her hand and swallowed them dry before she took a couple more and a glass of water up to Yuugi. "Anzu's coming. She'll be here soon," she said, poking her head around the bathroom door. "You alright?"

"Let's just say this isn't making me want to stay a girl." Yuugi groaned and clasped her hands around her lower midsection. She was curled up in a ball beside the bathtub wearing only her shirt and a pair of boxers, sitting on the pajama bottoms.

"Here, this will help." Ryou sat down on the floor beside her and handed over the medication. Yuugi swallowed them and drank the water, and then the two of them huddled together miserably. Neither girl was sure how much time had passed before they heard a knock on the door downstairs, followed by the sound of it opening and then footsteps on the stairs. Seconds later, Anzu appeared in the doorway, holding a couple of plastic bags and looking concerned.

"Hey," she said softly. "Are you okay?"

"We've been better," Ryou said for the both of them. The aspirin had helped her back a little, but it didn't seem to have done much for Yuugi, who was still grimacing in pain every few minutes.

"I bet." Anzu eased into the room and knelt, setting the bags in front of her. Her eyes fell on Yuugi, specifically the bruise on her cheek, and a deep frowned tugged at her lips. She glanced at Ryou questioningly, but the white-haired girl merely shook her head, silently pleading with her to not ask.

"Hello, Anzu," she said instead.

"Hi," Yuugi mumbled.

"Hi." Anzu hesitated and then sighed. "Okay, look, this is going to be awkward, so let's just get it over with. I bought enough supplies for both of you since I figured you would be starting soon too, Ryou-chan. This is what you do." She pulled a pink plastic box out of one of the bags and ripped it open to reveal several small squares. "You take one of these and unwrap it. The bottom will have sticky stuff on it to help it stick to your underwear, so make sure you have the right side pressed down. Try to position it in the middle or it will leak." She was clearly mildly uncomfortable as she took out two packages of… "I don't think they'll work very well with your boxers, so I got you both some panties."

"Oh. My. God," Ryou muttered.

Yuugi was staring at the 'supplies' and had turned an interesting shade of white. "How often does this happen?" she asked in a strained voice.

Anzu smiled in a way that was clearly meant to be comforting. "Um… once a month for anywhere from three to seven days," she said sheepishly. "As for how often you'll have to change the pad, it depends. Every girl is different. Some bleed a lot and others don't."

Ryou took one look at Yuugi's face and knew that they were both thinking the same thing. The chances of them ever seeing their yamis again had just gotten exponentially smaller.

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Please review!


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, guys. But seriously? And you guys call _me_ evil… you're totally just as bad as I am, no lie. Suddenly I don't feel quite so mean. However, at least we reach one of the chapters that everyone has been waiting for… I hope you agree with the decision made and that you don't want to kill me too much when you get to the end of the chapter. I've had a crap day and I need a pick me up (that's why you're getting this a day early), so please lavish me with reviews instead. Enjoy!

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By the time Anzu left, Yuugi was actually feeling marginally better. The brunette had advised a long, hot shower that, surprisingly, had actually helped to soothe the throbbing ache in her lower midsection, though the pain was far from gone as she walked down the stairs to join Ryou in the kitchen. It was like someone had reached inside of her and was slowly but surely twisting her insides into a tight knot. She rubbed her stomach ruefully and sighed, wondering how girls put up with this every month. Wondered how _she _was supposed to put up with it every month.

"You feeling it, too?" she asked, stepping into the kitchen. Ryou was sitting in one of the chairs with an empty plate beside her, but she was bent over nearly double with her forehead against the table, both hands pressed against her lower back. The position looked massively uncomfortable.

"Ugh, the aspirin helped, but I think it's starting to wear off," Ryou muttered, lifting her head. "I used to think Amane was being a drama queen to get out of school, but I think I was wrong."

Yuugi's mouth twitched as she fought back a smile. "I'm sure she forgives you."

"What… hey, you're going to school?" Ryou blinked at Yuugi, who was dressed in her uniform. "Don't you feel… well, weird?"

"Yes, extremely," Yuugi replied honestly, shifting uncomfortably. Putting on girl's underwear for the first time had _not_ been a fun experience. Actually, it was downright mortifying, regardless of the fact that she technically _was_ a girl for the time being. There was just something about the underwear that made it seem so real. Still, she could see Anzu's point. Boxers really wouldn't have worked, and that meant she had no choice. "But I can't take the whole week off, Ryou. We already skipped most of Monday."

"So you're planning to turn Dark Magician Girl down, then."

Even though she had been fully expecting the question to come at some point, Yuugi still winced. Slowly, she moved across the room and took a glass out of the cupboard. Still without responding, she went to the refridgerator and poured herself some orange juice. Only once she had taken a sip did she speak. "I don't know yet. Part of me wants nothing more than to be a boy again. Everything was so much easier then." Almost unconsciously her hand rose and she brushed her fingers against her cheek. The bruise looked even worse in the stark morning light, a mottled combination of deep purples and blacks outlined in yellows and greens that have stained the pale, swollen skin. "But then I think, well, would going back even fix things?"

Ryou tore her eyes away from the bruise and rubbed her hand over her face. "Yes, I suppose you're right," she allowed. Except it was a little different for her, since her father didn't know, and there was still a chance Ryou could change things back and keep it that way.

"We don't have much longer to decide," Yuugi went on wearily, glancing at the clock. "Dark Magician Girl appeared to me at about 9:00pm last night, give or take a few minutes. She said she would be back in exactly twelve hours. That means we have less than two hours to make up our minds and I haven't got the slightest idea what I should do." She stared down at the glass in her hand and sighed. "Two hours to decide to whether I want to spend the rest of my life as a boy or a girl. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be normal."

"Boring?" Ryou offered with an impish smile. She didn't know what she was going to do, either, but there was one thing she did know with absolute certainty. "I still want Bakura back. Even after all this."

"I know. And I still want Yami back. That hasn't changed and at this point I'm beginning to think it never will." Her fingers tightened around the glass. "Even now, I could almost think… well, it would all be worth it if he was here."

"If." The word tasted sour on Ryou's lips. That was the problem, wasn't it? If. It was one thing to become a girl when she knew for sure that it meant Bakura would return. Yes, it sucked being female, but Ryou was pretty sure she could deal with it. But the whole _not knowing_ was the worst thing of all.

"Yeah." Yuugi looked up and their eyes met. After a moment, Ryou heaved a sigh and reluctantly stood up.

"I'm going to go take a quick shower. Wait for me," she instructed, leaving the room.

Left alone, Yuugi finished her drink before rinsing the glass out and setting it down in the sink. She felt restless, but she wasn't sure what to do with herself. Almost as though in response to her thoughts, her cell phone beeped with an incoming text message, and her hand went to her pocket instinctively before she remembered that she left it on the coffee table when she had come in the night before, along with her cards. Yuugi moved into the living room and found both phone and cards where she'd left them. The screen on her phone had lit up with half a dozen messages and she picked it up, flipping the top up with some wariness. Five messages: one from Jou, one from Mokuba, one from her grandfather, one from Anzu, and then a second from Jou. Yuugi bit her lip anxiously and opened the first.

From: Jou Sent: Yesterday at 7:15PM

YUUGI CAN WE TALK JOU

From: Mokuba Sent: Yesterday at 7:53PM

HEY YUUGI WHEN CAN YOU COME OVER TO FINISH THE GAME? LET ME KNOW. MOKUBA

From: Jii-chan Sent: Yesterday at 8:01PM

YUUGI I LOVE YOU.

Tears blurred her vision momentarily and Yuugi had to blink rapidly to keep from crying. She hadn't allowed herself to think about what had happened last night, but getting the text from Sugoroku was enough to make a small weight disappear from her shoulders. It was comforting to know that, whatever happened in regards to her mother, her grandfather still loved her. Instead of texting him back, though, she moved on, scrolling down to the next message. She still felt too confused to talk to him, not when she knew that he would be asking questions that she didn't know how to answer.

From: Anzu Sent: Today at 7:00AM

YUUGI MAKE SURE YOU EAT BREAKFAST. IT MIGHT HELP. ANZU

From: Jou Sent: Today at 7:10AM

YUUGI?

That was it. She sent a quick "ok" back to Anzu and went back into the kitchen. Ryou didn't have much in the way of breakfast food, but she found some bread and ended up toasting a piece with peanut butter and honey before sitting down at the table with her phone. Jou was still waiting for an answer and she didn't know what to say. Was he still angry with her? Did he want to yell at her some more? And if not… she touched the bruise on her cheek and winced. He'd be furious when he saw the bruise and he wouldn't rest until he knew exactly how she had gotten it and why. This happened to be one battle that Jou and the rest of her friends couldn't fight and she really wished that she could keep it a secret from everyone. The thought of explaining what had happened between her and her mother was humiliating. Finally, she texted him back.

To: Jou

I'M RUNNING LATE. TALK AT LUNCH? YUUGI

Ryou came back downstairs just as she hit the button to send the message. "You alright?" she asked, looking pleased to see that Yuugi was finishing the toast.

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's go get this day over with," Ryou said with a sigh, grabbing her backpack and stuffing a few last minute things inside. Yuugi joined her and they walked out the front door together. It was a sunny and surprisingly warm day, with no sign of the torrential downpour that had lasted through the most of the night. Even the sidewalk was already bone-dry. Neither of them spoke on the way there. Both girls were lost in their thoughts, privately agonizing over the decision that was facing them, and all too soon the school was in sight and they were walking through the gates. Since they were running late, they had to go straight to class, leaving no additional time to talk about the matter one last time.

Just when she would have liked the clock to slow down, Yuugi thought tiredly, it seemed to be moving faster than ever. The words of their teacher floated in one ear and out the other. Once or twice, she caught Ryou's eye and noticed that her friend looked as torn as Yuugi felt. It was evident that Ryou was no closer to a decision than she was. Somehow, that wasn't comforting. She hunched her shoulders and stared down at her desk, avoiding the concerned, inquisitive frowns coming from Jou, Anzu, and Honda. She even caught Seto giving her a second look. Their worry was touching (and in the case of Seto, who would likely never admit to the fact that he had been worried, somewhat amusing) but it was the last thing she wanted to think about right then.

What to do? Believe that Yami would return? Believe that he would _want_ to return after he'd left her? It still hurt that he'd chosen to go to the afterlife in the first place. It hurt a lot. She usually tried not to think about it, or tried to console herself with the knowledge that Yami must have felt he'd had no choice, but deep down inside it had always bothered her. And now_ this_, a sacrifice required on her part to smooth over something that he had _chosen_ to do (because in the end, it had still had been decision)… Could she truly live as a girl, with all of the things that included, if it meant that Yami wasn't coming back?

It took her a full minute to notice that the teacher's voice had trailed off and that the world around her had stopped. Literally. Yuugi raised her head an inch and glanced around, realizing that everyone except for Ryou and herself had frozen in place. She closed her eyes in resignation, not needing to look to know who would be standing in the class with them. She should have known that other people would not keep them away. "Hello, Mana."

"Hello, little master, little master's friend." Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart were both standing at the front of the classroom, just in front of their teacher, who was half-twisted to face the class in a position that looked pretty uncomfortable. "Have you made your decision?"

"Yes," Ryou said quietly, rising to her feet. She linked her hands behind her back. "My answer is yes. I will stay as a girl."

"Ryou?" Yuugi asked, eyes wide.

"I know my life will be harder this way," said Ryou slowly. "I know that. Giving up something so important to bring back Bakura, of all people…" She shook her head and sighed, shoulders slumping. "I think I must be crazy, but that doesn't change the fact that I really want him back. And I can't live the rest of my life knowing that I had a chance, however small, and I turned my back on it because I was scared."

Change of Heart smiled approvingly.

"What about you, little master?" Dark Magician Girl asked, looking at Yuugi. Her blue eyes were kind.

"I…" Yuugi trailed off and wet her lips. Her heart was pounding so hard she felt dizzy. Ryou's words had struck a cord that she hadn't even known existed. Amidst thoughts of_ Yami please don't make me regret_ _this_, she said, "I want to stay a girl, too." Strangely enough, as soon as she said the words, it was like a weight dropped off her shoulders and she could breathe a little more easily. Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart exchanged glances before nodding at each other. Yuugi and Ryou watched closely as the two duel monsters stepped closer together and threw their hands up…

And then they were gone.

"Bakura-san, Mutou-san, why are you standing?" the teacher asked suddenly, turning to face the class fully. He looked confused. "Sit down, both of you."

A wave of crushing disappointment rolled over Yuugi, nearly suffocating in its intensity. Across the room, Ryou looked like she'd just been slapped. Her face had gone pale and she was staring at the spot where the duel monsters had been with an expression of bewilderment mixed with dawning horror. Yuugi looked away and had to blink back tears, sternly forbidding herself to cry in class, and started to sit down. But then she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye and she froze, staring in disbelief out the window.

"Ryou…" The word caught in her throat, but it seemed to be enough. In a matter of seconds, Ryou was at her side. A muffled gasp told Yuugi that Ryou was seeing the same thing she was out in the schoolyard.

Pharaoh Atemu and Thief King Akefia.

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Please review!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** What's that? A special extra update? *buffs nails on shirt smugly* And in the first week of Camp NaNo, no less. I have to admit I was a bit concerned before I wrote this chapter because I wasn't sure how it would come out, but actually I'm quite pleased, and I couldn't wait to share. Be happy, I may actually die from stress and writing overload before Friday. Enjoy!

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Ryou wasn't really that surprised when the duel monsters showed up in the middle of their class. Actually, she had been expecting it. Being in public was not the sort of thing that would keep either Change of Heart or Dark Magician Girl from doing their job. She noticed their appearance before Yuugi did, was waiting for it, and in that split second when they appeared and the world froze, she made her decision. She had lived a good portion of her life waiting to be noticed by her father, yet all the man ever did, in spite of her efforts to be a good son, was ignore her. Now that she had the chance to do something for herself, something that might make _her_ happy, she wasn't going to give up on it no matter what the consequences.

And hey, maybe this way her father would have no choice but to acknowledge her.

When Change of Heart and Dark Magician Girl both disappeared, and Yami and Bakura failed to show up, a small part of her crumbled. Her throat locked up and she couldn't breathe. Yuugi, she noticed, was looking equally devastated, and she knew that the same thought was running through both their minds. Had they made a mistake? Were their yamis not returning after all? She instantly imagined a life where she spent every day hoping that Bakura would appear, a life that would slowly crush her into nothing, and her legs went so weak that when their teacher snapped at them to sit down she had no trouble following the order.

Yuugi, on the other hand, froze when she was halfway seated. Ryou looked over at her dazedly and felt strength surge through her when Yuugi weakly gasped her name. She launched herself across the classroom and stared out the window, wondering if she was seeing the same thing that Yuugi was seeing. Two very familiar figures were standing just outside the school. Her heart skipped a beat before beginning to pound furiously, and she reached out, grabbing Yuugi's shoulder in an effort to steady herself. The touch seemed to snap Yuugi out of it, though, and she pulled away, running towards the classroom door. Ryou followed.

"Mutou-san! Bakura-san! Where are you - Mazaki-san! Jounouchi-san, Honda-san, sit down this instant or you're all getting detention! How dare you…"

The voice of their irate teacher faded behind them as the two girls flew down the hallway and out the front door of the school into the blazing sunlight. Ryou was breathing hard - too hard - as she stared at their darker halfs. Both of them looked much the same as she remembered. Atemu held himself with grace and confidence, all tanned skin and flashing crimson eyes and gold-streaked hair matching equally golden jewelry. Akefia (and she inwardly balked at calling him that) was also tanned, sporting a scar down the side of his cheek, and tall, muscled, with wild lavender eyes.

For a moment, a heavy silence fell between the four of them, and no one moved or spoke. Ryou's mind raced, wondering what she should do, what she _could_ do. Did they remember? Did they know? Her lips moved but nothing came out. She had temporarily forgotten how to speak. The only thing that mattered was that her other half was close, so close, and yet the distance between them felt insurmountable. Her hands clenched into fists and she placed them behind her back to hide the shaking.

"Aibou?" Atemu whispered at last, looking shocked.

"Mou hitori no boku…" Yuugi gave a strangled sob and threw herself forward. The pharaoh grunted, stumbling back a step as the full weight of his light struck him, yet he still managed to catch Yuugi, cradling her against his body. She, in turn, wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him as she burst into tears.

Suddenly, there were tears in Ryou's eyes, too, but she tried to hold them back, knowing that her yami had never liked displays of weakness, especially in public. She toddled forward on legs that felt weak and rubbery until she and Akefia were close enough to touch before pausing briefly. He eyed her silently, taking her in, but said nothing. Since he made no move to push her away, Ryou kept moving until their chests and stomachs were brushing together. A single tear escaped, rolling slowly down her cheek, and then it seemed better, easier, to lower her head into his shoulder to keep him from knowing that she was crying. She kept her hands at her sides, not knowing how much was too much, even though she wanted desperately to cling to him.

Minutes - hours? - later, he tensed, and then there was a possessive arm being wound around her waist, pressing her against him more fully. There was no warmth or affection in the move, yet it was enough. Ryou hiccupped and took that as a sign to bring her hands up, weaving them into the front of his coat. She took a moment to let her full weight rest against him, relishing the strength she found there, before she lifted her tear-streaked face and half-twisted to see what had spooked the Thief King into showing any kind of reaction.

It was Isis, Malik hovering some feet behind her. The woman was smiling, her hands lifted in a welcoming gesture that was also likely meant to show that she meant no harm. "Good morning, my pharaoh," she greeted. "Thief King."

"Isis," Atemu said, not quite managing to hide his confusion. He had been trying to soothe his semi-hysterical light with little success. "What's going on?"

"That's a long story, and possibly one that would be better told somewhere else," said Isis, her eyes flicking up to the school. With a building full of curious teenagers, there was no doubt in her mind that _someone _had to be watching. "Won't you and Akefia - "

"It's Bakura," came the low growl. Ryou started at hearing him speak and the arm around her waist grew tighter, preventing her from moving. "And that's Yami." He jerked his chin towards the pharaoh before setting a hard stare somewhere over Ryou's shoulder.

Isis looked back and forth between the two of them. "Very well," she said after a moment. "Won't you and _Bakura_ follow us to a place where we have more privacy, Yami?"

Bakura was looking at _Malik_, Ryou realized suddenly, not listening as Yami replied to Isis. She followed her other half's gaze to Malik, who seemed to be very conscious of the fact that he was being glared at. The blond couldn't seem to decide whether he should come forward or stay back, and it wasn't any wonder, considering that Bakura was giving him a look that would have burned straight through a lesser man. His hand was uncomfortably tight around Ryou's waist, and it occurred to her that perhaps she wasn't the only one who remembered the day when Yami Malik had taunted them both.

Isis turned suddenly with a graceful sweep of her robes, beckoning to them with one hand. Yami didn't even bother trying to get Yuugi to walk; he scooped the girl up, cradling her in his arms, and followed after Isis and Malik. Ryou realized with a distant pang that it was time for her to let go of Bakura, since neither of them could walk like this. Frankly, it was amazing he had allowed her to hold on for as long as he had. But her hands didn't want to work right, didn't want to release the warm cloth, and she stared helplessly at them for a few seconds before Bakura snorted and, releasing her waist, transferred her grip from his coat to his arm, spinning her around so that she could walk beside him.

"Come on," he said roughly, striding forward. Ryou stumbled before falling into step, consciously matching her pace to his. She concentrated on that, on the feel of his muscles behind her fingertips, the warm skin and the pulse fluttering beneath, and didn't even realize that Isis had led them to her house until Bakura sighed and stuck his hand in the pocket of her trousers to retrieve her keys. It was probably something that she should have scolded him for, but she just blinked at him.

"Thank you, Bakura," Isis said, deftly catching the keys. "I hope you don't mind, Ryou… Ryou-kun." She cleared her throat. "Your house will offer the most privacy. Even in a hotel there's always the chance that someone might overhear." She slid the key into the lock and twisted, pushing the door open.

In due time, all five of them were sitting in Ryou's living room. Yuugi and Yami were sitting in one of the armchairs. Well, Yami was sitting in the chair and Yuugi was curled up in his lap. Ryou envied her. She was seated next to Bakura on the couch, so close their bodies from ankle to thigh to ribs were pressed together, and her hands were still clutching his arm, but she didn't think Bakura would tolerate much more. She had to wonder why he hadn't pushed her away already. Malik sat down in the last chair, as far away from Bakura as he could get, and Isis stood, arms folded, in the middle of the room.

"How is the Shadow Realm open?" Yami asked before she could speak.

"We're not sure," Isis replied tightly. "We're looking into it but nothing concrete has come up yet. What I can tell you is that some time ago your lighter halfs were unexpectedly visited by their duel monsters." Her eyes landed on Ryou, silently asking a question. Ryou managed to gather herself long enough to shake her head minutely. "Around the same time, Malik, Rishid and I were alerted to the fact that Yami Malik has returned. He is trying to break out of the Shadow Realm and into the real world. We were hoping that you might have some insight as to why the Shadow Realm wasn't completely sealed away."

Yami shook his head. The motion disturbed Yuugi, who stirred and muttered something under her breath. Several nights with little to no sleep were evidently catching up with her. Yami rested a gentle hand on her head and stroked her hair, his scowl deepening at the sight of the bruise on her cheek when she turned her head into his touch. "Go to sleep, Aibou," he murmured, deep voice soothing, before looking up at Isis. "I'm afraid I don't remember much."

"What _do_ you remember?" she pressed. "Anything could be helpful."

Yami closed his eyes and thought for a moment. At last, he shook his head. "I'm sorry, Isis. The afterlife is a blur to me. The last thing I remember is saying good-bye to Yuugi at the Gates." He looked troubled by the idea that more of his memories had been lost.

"Well, it's not surprising, I suppose," Isis sighed. "The afterlife is meant to be a mystery to the living. You don't remember anything either?" She glanced at Bakura.

"Much as I hate to agree with the Pharaoh, I don't," Bakura said reluctantly.

Isis looked frustrated. From the moment they had met up with Yuugi and Ryou, she had known that the pharaoh and thief king would be returning, and she'd been _so _hoping that one or both of them would be able to shed some light on the situation. "Until we figure this out, you need to be careful," she said finally, momentarily conceding defeat. "Yami Malik is looking for revenge. He has already tried to attack your lights once and I fully suspect that he will be back for more."

"Why wasn't he destroyed?" Yami demanded.

Ryou blinked heavily as Isis began going into detail about what little she had been able to figure out about the situation. Though she knew she should be listening closely, it was becoming increasingly difficult to focus, and the room was starting to swim in front of her eyes. With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes briefly and felt Bakura shift as her head dropped down onto his shoulder. Some small part of her pointed out that she should really be moving away, but she didn't want to. Bakura was warm, and his presence had filled a substantial ache in her chest that had been present for well over a year. Within a matter of minutes, her breathing deepened as she dropped off into sleep.

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Please review!


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N:** Wow, I can't believe this story is at three hundred reviews already. You guys are amazing! I can't get over it, seriously. It was pointed out to me last chapter that I made a tiny error: Thief King Bakura has lavender eyes, not brown eyes. Oops. I went back and changed it, and if you notice me making this mistake again in the future please let me know. Other than that, enjoy.

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A feeling of deep contentment surrounded Yuugi as she slowly fought her way back to consciousness. She was in a bed, she could tell that much, and there was a warm body lying next to her that she figured was probably Ryou. Her mind felt muddled and hazed, the way it did after a really good, long sleep, and for a few minutes she allowed herself to just lie there, caught in the strange world between sleeping and waking. She might have remained there for a good while longer if the person next to her hadn't shifted, rolled over, and flung an arm over her waist with a low sound that was distinctly male and very familiar.

Her eyes flew open and she bolted upright as memories from the day before crashed over her. She turned to see who was really beside her and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw that it was Atemu - no, Yami. He was lying on his stomach with his face turned towards her, breathing slowly and deeply. His arm was now draped over her thighs and he was drooling a little. The fancy clothing and jewelry he had been wearing the day before had been replaced by a simple cotton shirt and a pair of boxers; the only adornment he still wore was a small ring on his little finger.

Full of amazement, she tentatively reached out and placed a hand on his cheek. His skin was warm and smooth to the touch. She trailed her fingers up, brushing against the soft wisps of hair, before traveling down his shoulder and across his back. Yuugi kept her hand there for a moment, watching as it rose and fell with his steady breathing. There was a strange feeling inside of her and it took her a moment to identify what it was. Whole. She felt… _whole_. She placed her free on her own chest and closed her eyes. She had almost forgotten what it was like to not be empty.

She didn't know how long she had been there before the door creaked opened. Yuugi looked up, startled, and saw that it was Ryou. Her friend put a finger to her lips in a bid for silence and beckoned to Yuugi. Nodding in understanding, Yuugi eased Yami's arm back onto the bed and edged away from him, moving slowly so that he would keep sleeping. She padded across the floor and stepped out into the hallway with Ryou, closing the door behind her. The two girls just looked at each other for a long moment, and then Ryou grinned and threw her arms around Yuugi in an exuberant hug. In the next second, she pulled back.

"Oh god, sorry," she said hastily. "I didn't mean - "

"It's fine," Yuugi said, laughing and gently pulling Ryou back into a hug. She wrapped her arms around Ryou's back and relaxed when she felt Ryou's arms go back around her. "I know how you feel."

"I didn't mean to wake you up," Ryou apologized, running a hand through her messy hair and stepping away. She couldn't seem to stop smiling. "But I thought we should probably talk before Yami and Bakura wake up. We need to decide what we're going to tell them."

"Makes sense, and you didn't wake me up, so don't worry about it. Where's Bakura?"

"In my room," Ryou replied, tilting her head in the direction of her bedroom. "I fell asleep last night not long after you did. Isis must have told Yami to take the guest room before she and Malik left." She was blushing a little, looking equal parts shocked and pleased. "Bakura was sleeping beside me on the bed when I woke up."

"Really?" Yuugi arched an eyebrow, surprised.

Ryou nodded. "I know, I thought the same thing. He seems to be a little different now. I was really out of it yesterday, but he actually let me hold onto his arm when we walked over here." They were moving downstairs as Ryou spoke, into the kitchen where they could talk without fear of waking their other halfs up. "At first I just thought it was because Malik and Isis were around, but they must have left the house last night since they're not around this morning…" She trailed off and shrugged. "I don't know what's going on."

"Well, you are his hikari," Yuugi pointed out practically. "If he could trust anyone it would be you."

"Maybe," she said distantly, not wanting to go into it. Even when Bakura had formed a partnership with Yami Malik during Battle City, he'd never really trusted Yami Malik with anything important. They had a truce, yes, but both of them were always dancing around each other, just waiting for the sharp knife of betrayal to descend. In her heart, Ryou didn't think Bakura trusted anyone.

She sat down at the table and Yuugi sat across from her, and for a few minutes, two of them were silent, wrapped up in their own little worlds. Ryou was wondering what her father would say, and in spite of her decision to accept the consequences, she was nervous about his reaction, because he was still her father and she loved him, always had and always would. Yuugi was thinking about her mother and her grandfather, and how even though she wanted to make things right, there were certain things she wasn't willing to sacrifice, and that made her wonder if anything would ever be right again.

"I don't want to tell them," she said in a small voice, breaking the silence.

"They'll figure it out sooner or later," Ryou said, knowing exactly what Yuugi was talking about. It had been the first thing to come into her mind when she'd woken up that morning. She didn't want to tell them, either. Bakura didn't like her much when she was a boy, so she dreaded to think what he would say when he found out that she was a girl. "We can't hide it from them forever, Yuugi."

"I know, but we could put it off for a while." Yuugi laced her fingers together. Yami would feel so guilty if he knew what she had given up to get him back.

"What will you tell him about…?" Ryou tapped her cheek.

"I'll just edit the truth. Tell him that it was because my mother found out I was trying to bring him back. It's not technically a lie." It would still make him feel guilty that he had driven a wedge between Yuugi and Koto, but Yami had never cared very much for her mother and in the end, Yuugi didn't think he would mind too much. Once he got over the homicidal, 'how dare you touch my hikari' reaction, that is. "As long as we can keep the others quiet, we might be able to hold off for a while. Just until we're more comfortable with the situation."

That might be a problem, Ryou knew. Anzu would gladly keep their silence, and so would Isis, Honda, Jou and Mokuba. Seto normally would as well, but if he were provoked badly enough he might attempt to hold it over Yami's head. Malik was the type to tease, and he might let something slip without realizing. For that matter, Jou was usually terrible at keeping secrets. She rubbed the bridge of her nose, realizing that the chances of them actually keeping this a secret from their yamis was slim to none. And yet, even though she already knew that this was not going to end well, she couldn't help wanting to try.

"You can sense him, can't you?" she asked suddenly, looking up at Yuugi. "Mentally, I mean. Your bond has returned?"

Yuugi blinked and contemplated the question silently. Now that Ryou had mentioned it, she could feel a tickle in the back of her mind, the presence of Yami. But it wasn't like it had been before. "Sort of," she said hesitantly. "He's there, but… not, at the same time. Like we've both got shields up that are stronger than anything I used before." She furrowed her brow and mentally prodded the space, feeling around her shields. She could only guess at what lay beyond unless she wanted to drop her shields to have a look, and she didn't dare.

"Bakura is the same way." Ryou ran her fingers through her hair and tilted her chair back. "Best keep our shields up, I think. If we can." She sounded resigned.

Yuugi just nodded. Even though it would make keeping their secret more difficult, she felt inordinately pleased that even a bit of her mind link with Yami had returned. It made her feel closer to him, tangible proof that he was really upstairs and it hadn't been just a dream. "So we're agreed, then. I'll text the others and ask them to keep it a secret for the time being."

"I'll start making breakfast." Ryou stood up as Yuugi went into the living room and moved over to the counter. Automatically, she got pancake mix out of the cupboard and started measuring it out into a bowl. Her mind was spinning. Bakura had actually returned. It _worked_. A little explosion of pure joy went off inside her every time she thought about it. But at the same time, he seemed a little different. He hadn't pushed her away when she clung to him. He'd actually slept _beside_ her on the same bed. Partners or not, she had never imagined Bakura acting like that. Was it because he imagined he had nothing to fear from her? That she would never be strong enough to hurt him? Or was there something more going on that she was unaware of?

She added milk and eggs to her mixing bowl and stirred, staring absently out the window. Things would be different now. Yami and Bakura were no longer spirits. They were living, breathing people who would have physical needs, but as far as the rest of the world was concerned, they didn't exist. Would Isis have the right connections to get them identities? Or could Seto, somehow, be persuaded to help? Ryou stuck a finger into the batter and tasted it, then got a frying pan out and placed it on the stove. And where would they all stay? What if Yuugi couldn't work things out with her mother? Yuugi and Yami would always be welcome in Ryou's home, but Bakura, of course, would be staying with her as well, and she wasn't sure how much further the money her father sent every month could stretch.

Something thrummed in the back of her mind and she stiffened, realizing that it was Bakura. He was awake. At one time that knowledge probably would have been enough to make her afraid, but now she merely continued pouring oil into the spitting frying pan before adding a good-sized dollop of pancake batter. It began to bubble immediately and she leaned against the counter, poking at it occasionally with her spatula, as she heard footsteps on the stairs. Ryou didn't turn as her yami finally made it into the room.

"Good morning," she greeted cordially, pitching her voice a bit lower.

Bakura grunted and she heard the sound of a chair sliding across the floor. When she twisted to look at him, he had his head resting in his hands. Ryou hid a smile, recognizing the tell-tale signs of a bad headache. It was no wonder, really. His body had probably been through an exceptional amount of stress in the past day or so. The bottle of aspirin was still sitting on the counter and she picked it up, shaking a couple of pills into her hand, before pouring a glass of orange juice. His blood sugar was probably low and that likely wasn't helping. She doubted they had remembered to eat before going to bed last night.

"Here," she said quietly. "This will make you feel better."

He looked up at her, lavender eyes piercing, and his gaze moved from the pills in her hand to the juice in front of him before fixing on her face. She waited patiently, hand still outstretched, and felt like she was coaxing a stubborn but frightened animal into eating. Bakura just stared at her for a long moment, perhaps trying to remember times when she had taken the same pills herself. Finally, he reached out and took them, sliding the pills between his fingers, testing their texture with a slight frown. She knew he remembered when he popped them into his mouth and swallowed instead of trying to chew them. Then he took the orange juice and drank. Feeling like she'd had a major victory, she turned back to the stove and flipped the (now slightly) burned pancake.

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Please review!


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews… For a while there I thought I might disappoint today, but I managed to get this chapter done just in time. See what happens when I stay with short chapters? Updates happen on time. We've been having a lot of interaction with Ryou during the past few chapters so this one is entirely full of Yuugi and Yami, as well as some answers to questions a lot of people have asked. Enjoy!

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It didn't take Yuugi very long to send a mass text to Jou, Anzu, Honda, Mokuba, Seto and Malik informing them that Yami and Bakura had returned and that they were trying to keep certain things a secret for the time being. She didn't have Isis's cell number - didn't even know if Isis would be the kind of person to_ own_ a cell phone - but she wasn't overly concerned. On the off chance Isis didn't hear about it from Malik, Yuugi was confident that she'd be speaking to the woman before Isis had the chance to talk to Yami or Bakura. Besides, Isis was smart: she'd understand to the necessity to remain silent until she had confirmation from Yuugi and Ryou that it was okay to share.

She tucked her phone back into her pocket and started to walk into the kitchen to help Ryou with breakfast, but paused when she heard the sound of Ryou's voice. It was no stretch of the imagination to guess who it was. Yuugi peeked around the corner just to be sure, spotted Bakura at the table and Ryou standing at the counter, and retreated, smiling to herself. Not wanting to interrupt them when they actually seemed to be having a moment of peace, she turned and headed up the stairs, hoping that Yami would be awake.

He wasn't, but she didn't leave right away. In her absence, he'd rolled onto his back and stretched out over the bed, throwing one long, tanned leg over the spot where Yuugi had been. Yuugi grinned and stole closer, fascinated by the sight of him sleeping. It was something she had never imagined that she would have the chance to see. She climbed onto the bed and knelt on the corner, eyes drawn to the way his right arm was splayed across the covers. There was just enough room for her, she couldn't help but notice. It would be easy for her to lay down and curl in closer to him, put her head on his shoulder and go back to sleep for a while. The pang of longing that went through her at the thought was surprising and not a little disturbing.

Yami stirred, no doubt disturbed by the force of her stare, and his crimson eyes opened slowly. He blinked sleepily a couple of times before focusing. "Aibou!" he said with a warm, tired smile. She felt a funny little jolt in her stomach as Yami lifted his hand and held it out to her in invitation. Yuugi took it and allowed him to pull her closer so that she was leaning against his side. It suddenly seemed to be hard to breathe.

"Sorry I woke you up," she said, a little more breathlessly than she wanted to.

"It's alright," he replied, muffling a yawn with his free hand. "I shouldn't be spending my time sleeping when I haven't seen you in so long." He was looking at her intently, and she could almost pinpoint the exact moment that his eyes landed on the bruise gracing her cheek. His frown deepened and he unclasped their hands, reaching up to cup her cheek and rub his thumb lightly over the bruise, a question on the tip of his tongue. Her heart sank. She wasn't ready for this. She thought fast.

"Why is Bakura acting so different?"

"What?" Yami looked startled by the unexpected question.

"Bakura. Ryou says he's acting differently than he used to," Yuugi repeated, shifting just enough so that she could turn her head to hide her cheek, but that the move wouldn't seem unnatural. She didn't push his hand away, though. Any contact between them was welcomed.

"Oh, that's to be expected. The Bakura we knew before was possessed by Zorc. That presence was exaggerating Bakura's every emotion, particularly hatred and rage. This Bakura is what's left of the Thief King and the part of the spirit who lived in the Ring that wasn't Zorc. Much like I'm what's left over of the Pharaoh and Mou hitori no Yuugi. It will take him a while to find his footing, I expect."

Yuugi thought about that. "Is that why you don't want to be called Atemu?" she asked.

"Yes. Atemu was my name at one time, but that man died a very long time ago. I kept living, in a manner of speaking," he replied quietly, looking down at her stomach. He took her hand again, this time with his right, and intertwined their fingers, seemingly fascinated by the look of the ivory of her skin next to the sun-kissed gold of his own. She was very conscious of the warmth of his other hand still absently stroking her cheek. "I realized some things in the afterlife while I was there. I told Isis that it was all a blur to me but I wasn't being entirely honest."

"What did you realize?" she asked.

"That I missed you," Yami said, looking straight into her eyes. He spoke the words with a degree of honesty that made her heart hurt. "That I was wrong to have left you. I went to the afterlife because I believed it was the right choice to make. During our trip to the memory world I had learned that there were a great many people waiting for me, for Atemu, to be at rest, and I thought it only fitting to make their wait end. But after I went to the afterlife I realized that I was a different person from who they were expecting." He paused. "And… it wasn't what I was expecting, either. As I said, I had gone on living when their lives had stopped and they had a difficult time understanding that there were still people in this world that I missed very much."

"I'm sorry that you weren't happy there," she said softly, realizing for the first time that she hadn't been the only one who had suffered during the long year. It made her feel a tiny bit better about his decision to leave in the first place. "Did you… _want_ to come back?"

"I never thought I would have the chance to," he admitted. "I didn't realize that the Shadow Realm had opened again. Or was still open, I suppose. It was supposed to be bound away."

"We all thought it was," she said. It hadn't escaped her notice that he'd avoided answering her question.

Yami smiled, amused. "Of course I wanted to come back, Aibou. I told you, I missed you while I was there. You were on my mind every day. I thought about what you were doing and how our friends were. Whether Kaiba ever learned to just let things go for once in his life and how Jii-chan was making out with the shop. If Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp had brought out any new advancements in gaming." His thumb moved more purposely against her cheek, eliciting a wince. "If you were being bullied again."

So it had come back to that. Unsurprising really, Yami could only be distracted for so long. Yuugi sighed and gave in. "I'm not being bullied again," she told him. "You know Jou, Honda and Anzu would never let that happen."

"Not if they were in the position to do anything about it," he agreed, "but circumstances have taught us that there are some things that not even friendship can overcome. Isis told me about Yami Malik, Yuugi. Did he do to this to you?"

The use of her name surprised Yuugi so much that for a moment she didn't say anything. Yami never called her that. He was more upset than she'd realized. "No, he didn't. I only had one encounter with him and Ryou and Mokuba-kun walked in before anything could happen," Yuugi said, covering the hand on her cheek with her right. "This was from… Look, I don't want you to get angry."

Crimson eyes narrowed slightly. "Who?"

Yuugi sighed again. "My mother."

"Your - " Yami sat up, looking incredulous. He moved his left hand out from underneath hers and took hold of her chin, turning her head so that he could examine the bruise in closer detail. His jaw tightened with anger as he took in the delicate handprint. "Why did she strike you?" From the sound the rage that was barely contained in his voice, no explanation would have been good enough.

"She was angry with me," Yuugi replied patiently. At least he hadn't flown off of the bed and down the stairs. That was progress. Back when they'd first met, before her presence had helped to stabilize him, he would have been halfway to the Kame Game Shop by now. "She found out that I was trying to bring you back and we had a fight that escalated and got a little physical."

The tight grip on her chin eased. Yami sat back, horrified. "She hit you because of me?"

"Well, technically she hit me because of my attachment to you." His expression didn't change and she shrugged helplessly. "She didn't mean anything by it, Yami. She was angry and she lashed out in the heat of the moment. I wasn't expecting it or I would've gotten out of the way. Please don't overreact."

"I'm not overreacting."

"So you're not planning to run out and challenge her to a shadow game?" Yuugi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I was just going to go for a walk. If I happened to run into your mother, and we _happened_ to begin a game…" Yami smirked as Yuugi giggled. Something indiscernible flickered across his expression for a moment as he watched her, but it disappeared too quickly for Yuugi to analyze it. "She deserves to be punished for hitting you, little one."

"I agree, but I don't want you or anyone else to be the one who hands out that punishment." Yuugi reached out and took his free hand so that she was holding onto both. "Please, Mou hitori no boku. Don't challenge her on this. I don't want to ruin things between us completely." She widened her eyes and tilted her head slightly, knowing that it would make the sunlight reflect off of the violet color and make them appear bigger, and gave him one of the best pair of puppy eyes she could muster.

His face softened under both the nickname and the look, as she had known it would, and he sighed. "Very well. I won't do anything to her this time," he allowed. "But I don't want you living under the same roof as her or even being alone with her. And if she ever strikes you again…"

"She won't," Yuugi said, feeling a pang of unease as she remembered the look on her mother's face that night. She wanted to believe that was the truth, but some part of her couldn't help doubting it. Koto had been well and truly furious and if there was one thing she knew about her mother, it was that the woman was excellent when it came to holding a grudge. "I promise you I won't be alone with her, but I have to go home at some point. We can't impose on Ryou and Bakura forever."

"I'd rather we lived with Kaiba than have you go back there," Yami muttered.

Yuugi stared at him, taken aback. He must have been feeling even more strongly about this than she'd guessed if he would be willing to go to such lengths. It was kind of nice. Almost worth the pain. "We'll see how it goes," she said instead, squeezing his hands warmly. "I'm not sure Seto would agree to that."

He just smirked again. "I bet I could duel him to get him to agree to it."

"Oh, that reminds me. You already have a duel with him scheduled," she remembered.

"You told him I was returning?"

"Sort of," she said, not really wanting to get into it. Fortunately, Yami was too preoccupied with the idea of dueling Seto to pay attention to her evasion. "Now that everyone at school has seen you two, I expect he'll come calling to collect sometime soon."

"Let him come. It's been a while since I had a worthy opponent."

"Did you have no one to duel with in the afterlife?"

"Seth would duel me sometimes," he said, releasing her hands and stretching. "But he always felt too guilty to make it a real fight."

She made a non-committal sound in response and watched as he rolled off of the bed. "Ryou's cooking breakfast," she said. "It's been a long time since you had the chance to eat anything with your own body. I don't suppose you're interested in having pancakes."

"For pancakes, Aibou, I'd even be willing to eat at the same table as Bakura."

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Please review!


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Thanks for the wonderful reviews. You guys are so amazing. I feel like a broken record saying that but it's true! The plot is going to start advancing soon (in fact part of it begins with the very chapter you're about to read, imagine that) but, and some people have been asking, it will be a while before Yami and Bakura find out. You know me, I take it slowly. Enjoy!

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Breakfast had been going surprisingly well, if silently. Yami and Bakura were both consuming tall stacks of pancakes at a rapid speed, apparently trying to make up for several centuries of being unable to eat in one sitting, while Ryou nibbled at hers and got up sporadically to make more. Yuugi barely ate at all, as she was too preoccupied with answering the text messages flooding her cell phone. She had to admit that she was a little surprised that her friends hadn't stormed Ryou's house demanding to know what was going on, but the answer to that was revealed when Anzu told her that Isis had contacted them and requested that they stay away for the night. Judging by the pointedly cold silence from Seto, she suspected Isis had spoken to him, too. Great.

She sighed and set her phone down, looking up with a small, if somewhat less than convincing, smile. It was really too late for her and Ryou to bother going to school. Neither of them had thought to set their alarms before passing out last night. That meant the day was wide open, and talking to Yami earlier had made her conscious of the fact that she hadn't seen or spoken to her mother or Sugoroku since the fight, and that she would have to face them sooner or later. Now seemed to be as good a time as any.

"I'm going home," she announced.

"You are?" Ryou said, surprised.

At the same time, Yami said, "No you're not."

"Yes, I am," Yuugi replied to both of them. "I don't have any clothing here. I've worn my uniform two days in a row and I'm tired of it." She'd only had fresh underwear thanks to Anzu, though she still wasn't wholly convinced that could really be taken as a good thing. "And I don't want to keep imposing on you any more, Ryou."

"I told you, you're welcome to stay as long as you like."

"See? No reason to go."

"Be quiet, Yami. I might have to take you up on that, but I have to try," she said to Ryou, who nodded in understanding.

"Bakura and I probably won't go far," she said. "Maybe this afternoon when you come back, we could go shopping. They'll need clothing." She raised her eyebrows meaningfully and Yuugi nodded, fiddling with her fork. Yami and Bakura weren't the only ones who needed new things to wear, but that wasn't the only thing they would need, either. She might have to resort to asking Mokuba to ask Seto to help them set up identities. It wouldn't be too bad at first, but eventually people would begin asking questions about their yamis.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to make do with what we have until we can get to the stores," she said. At least for that, they had money. The credit card Mokuba had given them would hopefully have enough to buy a few male outfits for all of them, never mind girl clothing.

"Aibou…"

"You can come with me," Yuugi said patiently, finally turning to look at him. The concern in his eyes nearly wore her down. Ra but it was tempting to just forget about it. She had to steel herself from giving in. She knew Koto; the woman would never be willing to give in and make up unless Yuugi made the first move, and the longer they went without speaking the less she would want to do so. "But you have to promise that you… well, that you won't try to antagonize her into doing something else so that you can challenge her to a shadow game."

Bakura's head rose and he looked between the two of them, showing the first shard of interest since he'd sat down to breakfast. "Why would you do that?"

"She hit Yuugi," Ryou explained, and Bakura looked at Yuugi, cool eyes assessing the bruise on her cheek at a glance. Then, and for some reason Yuugi couldn't explain, he looked at Yami and arched an eyebrow. A silent communication seemed to pass between the two newly born darknesses. Ryou glanced between them in alarm while Yuugi experienced a strong sinking sensation.

"You said you'd be good," she said desperately.

"I said I wouldn't challenge her to a shadow game as long as she didn't threaten you," Yami replied calmly, finally pushing his plate away. He drummed his fingers against the table. "I will follow through as long as she says or does nothing that demeans or harms you."

Yuugi just stared at him. Ryou hid her smile and stood up, gathering the four plates together before she walked into the kitchen. After a minute, Yuugi came in behind her, walked straight over to the smaller kitchen table, and sat down, allowing her forehead to thump loudly against the wood. "Remind me again why we wanted them back?" she asked despairingly.

"Love?" Ryou suggested. She received a glare in response and grinned. She wouldn't have said as much to Yuugi, but she was relieved that Yami was going along. Sugoroku was an elderly man and she doubted that he would be able to protect Yuugi if Koto lost her temper. Yami, on the other hand, would tear heaven and hell apart to protect his partner. Koto wouldn't stand a chance. It made her feel more comfortable. "He loves you, Yuugi, and he wants you to be safe. You can't blame him for that."

"I know. I just don't want my mother to be sacrificed to the Shadow Realm because of it." Yuugi blew her bangs out of her face with a gusty sigh.

"From what I hear, as long as she behaves herself, you won't need to worry about it." She dried her hands on a towel and left the room, returning a few seconds later with a stack of clothing that she presented to Yuugi. "Here, I washed your uniform this morning. At least you can look neat and clean when you face her."

"Ryou, thank you. Not just for this… but for everything."

"You're welcome, Yuugi. Now go get changed before Yami leaves without you."

**INC**

An hour later, Yuugi was trying her best not to throw up as she and Yami walked towards the door of the game shop. She was starting to think that this had been a very bad idea, but she couldn't figure out how to say as much without it sounding like she was completely chickening out (because, let's be honest, that's exactly what she felt like doing). Her pace grew slower and slower until finally she just stopped walking altogether. It took Yami a moment to realize she was no longer beside him. He turned around to question her, but the words died when he saw the look of stark terror written across her face.

"Aibou, stop worrying so much," he said gently, returning to her side. "If it upsets you this much then maybe we should forget about it and go back to Ryou's."

"No, I want to do this. I do." Yuugi hated how weak she sounded. She really _did_ want to see her grandfather and to a lesser degree her mother, but it was hard to remember that when the bruise on her cheek ached every time she spoke. She dropped her head and sighed.

Yami stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, drawing her into a warm embrace. Yuugi sank into his arms gladly, burying her face in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. He smelled like sand and magic, she noted absently, like wild nights spend on crazed adventures. A very small smile crossed her face and she brought her arms up, wrapping them around his back and holding on tightly. Another first, not only to be able to hug him in the real world, but to feel warm flesh and pulsing blood beneath her fingertips and know that they were both very real. She wondered if she would ever stop noticing and counting the firsts.

"Come on," he said gently, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her back. "I know that you can do this."

His faith somehow made it easier to bear. Even though she didn't really want to leave his arms, Yuugi nodded and then, reluctantly, pulled back. "I'm ready," she said simply, looking past him to the house. Her biggest fear was that Koto would react negatively to their presence. If she lost her temper and lashed out there was no doubt in Yuugi's mind that Yami wouldn't even bother with a shadow game; he would merely send Koto straight to the Shadow Realm. And however much it hurt that her mother had slapped her and called her an "it" instead of acknowledging her as a human that was not how Yuugi wanted to lose her only remaining parent. She could only pray that Koto would remain calm.

The bell over top the door jingled as she pushed it open. Yuugi stepped inside, momentarily surprised that the store was completely empty except for her and Yami. But then she remembered that it was a school day and apparently most of the children had actually made it there, unlike her and Ryou. The thought made her smile a little as the curtain covering the door to the back of the store twitched and then flew open. Sugoroku bustled out, carrying a stack of games so high that he couldn't even see over it.

"Good morning," he said, voice sounding jovial. "Welcome to the Kame Game Shop. What can I do for you?"

"You can start by giving me those before you trip and hurt yourself, Jii-chan," Yami said. Sugoroku froze at the sound of the deep voice that he'd only heard once or twice but which was nevertheless familiar. He allowed Yami to take the box from his suddenly limp fingers, his violet eyes wide and shocked as Yuugi and Yami came into view. He looked from one to the other, speechless.

"You... You're back," he breathed. "Pharaoh..."

Yami smiled. "It is good to see you again, Jii-chan. Where would you like me to put these?"

"Um... over there, if you don't mind." He pointed to the far corner of the store, and as Yami carried the boxes over and deposited them carefully on the floor, Sugoroku walked over to Yuugi and without hesitation, drew her into a fierce hug. Yuugi swallowed hard and held onto him tightly in return, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh, my little Yuugi," he whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too, Jii-chan. I didn't mean to - "

"Shh, Yuugi. It's not your fault. Never your fault." Sugoroku rocked her gently, making soothing noises. "I'm glad you came back. When you walked out of here there was a part of me that thought I'd lost you forever.

"You could never lose me," Yuugi mumbled, her face streaked with tears. "You're my grandfather no matter what happens."

"It makes me very happy to hear that." He pulled back just enough to brush the falling tears away. "My Yuugi. Don't cry."

"Sorry." She gave a watery laugh and wiped uselessly at her face. "I can't help myself. Anzu-chan said it happens to girls when... Well, sometimes." Her cheeks turned pink.

Sugoroku chuckled. He could guess what she had been about to say, but to save her the embarrassment, he let the matter drop and asked a question that had been preying on his mind from the moment he'd seen Yami. "Yuugi, does he know? About…?" He gestured towards her.

"No. Please don't tell him yet, Jii-chan. I need time to get used to having him around before I explain," Yuugi said earnestly. "So if you could tell Kaa-san to be quiet about it for now... I know she won't want to, but..."

His heart twisted and he grimaced, his grip on her hands tightening. "Yuugi, I have to tell you something about your mother. But first, I'd like it if you came into the kitchen and sat down. I'll make you and the pharaoh some hot chocolate, alright?" He rubbed her fingers and gave her a faint smile. "I might even be able to rustle up some popcorn."

Yuugi wasn't really hungry but she nodded anyway. Sugoroku turned the sign in the shop door to "Closed" and then locked it before he led Yuugi into the back. Yami, wanting to give grandfather and granddaughter a moment of privacy, had gone into the kitchen and was waiting for them, leaning placidly against the counter and gazing out the window. He turned to face them when they walked in and smiled. Sugoroku beamed at him as he moved to the refridgerator and pulled it open.

"Sit down, both of you," he directed. Yuugi and Yami sat at the table while he bustled around, making hot chocolate and popping a small batch of popcorn. His movements became increasingly erratic as he came closer to finishing and he began moving slower, much like Yuugi had when she had been trying to stall. Yami watched him worriedly, though he tried to hide it from his aibou. Yuugi was staring down at her hot chocolate, looking distant.

"Jii-chan, where's Kaa-san?"

The question hung heavily over the kitchen. Sugoroku froze.

"Yuugi..."

"Please, just tell me."

Sugoroku closed his eyes and sighed. "She left, Yuugi," he said quietly, feeling terribly old. "That night, she packed her things and walked out, saying that she'd had enough and that she wouldn't be coming back."

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Please review!


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, guys. I'm pleased to see I'm still surprising people. It warms my heart to hear that, believe me. A couple of people expressed confusion over what Yuugi's mother has done. I hope this chapter clarifies it a little more, but I urge everyone to take into consideration that people are not always reasonable and children who are abused don't always do what seems logical to the rest of us, hence why Yuugi returned home. With that said, enjoy!

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With Yuugi and Yami gone, the house felt large and surprisingly empty. Ryou stared blankly out the window as she scrubbed the dishcloth over the plates, so used to the chore that her hands could move on automatic and she would still end up with clean dishes. The house was quiet, yes, but somehow just knowing that Bakura was around somewhere made all the difference in the world. No longer was the silence invading her, no longer a constant reminder of her loneliness that pressed ruthlessly on her head until she wanted to scream just to have some noise. It was almost - and she hated to even think it - comfortable.

She sighed and took her hands out of the soapy water, rinsing the suds off before turning around to come face to face with pale eyes that were standing far too close for comfort. Ryou jumped and gave a squeak that was embarrassingly girly. "Jesus, Bakura!" she gasped, falling back against the counter with one hand over her heart. "You almost gave me a heart attack. What are you _doing_?"

Bakura smirked. "I was starting to think that there was something different about you, but never mind. You've just proven me wrong," he said.

"Oh shut up," Ryou muttered. "Did you want something or were you just trying to make a pest of yourself?" She'd never spoken so boldly to him and it felt good. Before, he would've shut her away in the Ring for that until she groveled enough to please him. But he couldn't do that anymore, and whatever else Bakura might be capable of, Ryou couldn't bring herself to believe that he would physically harm her. It just didn't seem to be in his nature, however violent or psychotic he might be towards other people.

He looked at her thoughtfully, openly looking her over without comment. She had the sneaking suspicion that he was noticing far more than she wanted him to. Still, she wasn't prepared when he said, "You missed me. You wanted me to return. Why?"

Startled by the question, Ryou slammed the kitchen drawer without thinking, forgetting that her fingers were in the way. "Ouch! Oh, that _hurt_." She stuck the tips of her two bruised and throbbing fingers into her mouth and turned to glare at him. "You did that on purpose." Maybe she should re-think the whole Bakura-would-never-hurt-her-thing, judging by the half-grin on his face.

"It's not my fault you weren't paying attention."

"Bastard," Ryou muttered, curling her fingers into a fist. Nothing was broken, but the skin around her nails was already swelling and turning a deep purple color.

"Answer my question."

"Why should I?" She shot him an exasperated look, already knowing from the set of his shoulders that he would not let it go until she did. Bakura could be incredibly persistent when he wanted to be; it was one of the things that had made him such a gifted thief. "Alright, yes, I wanted you back." It was easier to speak when she wasn't looking into his eyes. Ryou pointedly turned her back to him and looked out the window again. "I've been alone for most of my life. Regardless of how you treated me, when you were here, I wasn't alone. And I realize that I could've gone out and found someone else eventually, but I…" She swallowed hard. "I didn't want to. I want you."

Bakura said nothing. He was close enough that she could feel his breath ghosting across the back of her neck and it made her shiver. Flustered, she began to babble. "I don't mean… not like _that_. I just… you're my other half. Maybe you were just supposed to be some spirit trapped in the Ring, but along the way you became something more. And I hate it but I can't do anything to change that. I have to live with it so I figured that I might as well live with you in the process." She stopped and took a deep breath, a flush covering her cheeks.

"You really are a foolish child."

In light of all the things that he had called her in the past, "foolish child" was nothing. She relaxed a little, bizarrely comforted by the mild insult, and decided to push her luck. "I know. Believe me, I know. Did you even want to come back? Where were you, anyway?"

"I was in the afterlife." Bakura stepped past her and followed her gaze, looking out the window. His gaze was distant, seeing something else entirely, and his arms were crossed tightly. If she hadn't known better she would have said he was uncomfortable. "Apparently the gods felt like they should be lenient with whatever was left after Zorc was sealed away."

"Did you… like it there?" She tried to sound disinterested, knowing that if she let on just how much she craved to know, he would probably walk away. She stuck her hands back into the water and started to scrub at the plates again.

"It was alright. It wasn't what I was expecting. My family… they were waiting for someone that didn't exist anymore." His face was all hard lines, but there was a deep weariness in his eyes that she wasn't familiar with, had never seen before. "They remembered Akefia, the four-year-old child who watched them die. And even though they claimed to have watched over me since then, they were unprepared for a stranger to arrive."

Ryou tried to imagine that. What would it be like to die and finally see her mother and Amane, only to find out that they only wanted the child she'd been when they died? God. It sounded horrible. "I'm sorry."

It was the wrong thing to say. He glared at her. "I don't need your sympathy."

"No, I suppose you don't," Ryou sighed, pulling the plug and allowing the water to drain. "But you have it anyway. At least on this." She knew better than to ask again about whether he had wanted to come back. Bakura had neatly sidestepped that question, making it clear he had no desire to talk about it. That made her suspect that the answer was yes, and it made her feel worse for him than ever. At least she had her friends and her father, even if she rarely saw the man. She couldn't imagine being so alone in the world that the only person you had was your other half, someone you didn't even like. It was on the tip of her tongue to say something comforting, like the fact that she wanted him very much, but she hesitated too long and the moment was lost.

There was a knock on the door and both of them jumped, though Bakura immediately pretended that he hadn't. Ryou sighed again and dried her hands before walking out to the door, dreading who might be waiting there. She pulled it open and wasn't sure whether to be relieved or not when she saw that Seto and Mokuba were standing on the other side. On the one hand, at least it wasn't Malik, Anzu, Jou or Honda, all of whom seemed to set Bakura off. But on the other hand, she had to admit she wasn't especially pleased to see the Kaiba brothers, either.

"Hello," she said warily. "Yuugi's not here."

Seto scowled in response but Mokuba just smiled. "That's alright. We can talk to you," he said, pointedly ignoring Bakura. "Can we come in?"

"No," Bakura said.

"Yes," Ryou said, shooting him a Look. She backed up, pulling the door open, and allowed the two of them to step inside. Bakura and Seto eyed each other, displeasure evident in both of their faces, but Mokuba paid them no attention as he followed Ryou into the living room. "Can I get you some tea?"

"That's okay. Nii-sama won't want to stay long if Yami's not around," Mokuba replied. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two squares of paper. "Here."

Ryou took them. Her eyes widened slightly. She was holding what looked like a photocopied version of a birth certificate. One was for Bakura Dorobou, and the other was for Yami Tenno. Her mouth twitched and it was only with years of practice that she was able to swallow a laugh. "Cute."

He grinned. "I thought so. They're not for permanent yet, but they will be. Nii-sama is working on it. He's had people at Kaiba Corp creating these since we first found out that they would be returning."

"Really?"

"I might have forced his hand. A little." His eyes twinkled.

She laughed. "Thank you, Mokuba-kun. I was wondering how we were going to do this."

"There are still a few kinks to be ironed out," he admitted. "Nii-sama can create all the records in the world, but that won't help Yami or Bakura actually _know_ things."

"Yes, I suppose Yuugi and I will have to stick close to them at first." The idea wasn't necessarily displeasing, but then again, Bakura had proven to be a bastard in the past when it came to things he didn't know or understand. She looked down at the certificates and hoped that both Yami and Bakura would remember some of the knowledge they would have gleaned from living inside of Yuugi and Ryou for a year or so.

Mokuba looked up at her and sighed. "They look to be about a year older than you are," he hinted.

"That sounds about right."

"Ryou-san."

"What?"

"Bakura and Yami are going to have to go to school with you."

**INC**

The nice thing about Yuugi's bedroom, though it was something few people realized, was that the skylight could be opened, leaving a nice escape route. Koto had always hated it when Yuugi went up onto the roof, claiming that it would only be a matter of time until Yuugi fell to her death, so she didn't do it very often, but she loved it up there. Her room was at the highest point of the house, meaning she was hidden from view from anyone standing on the street, and she adored leaning back against the roof and looking up at the sky, particularly at night. It made her feel like she was the only person in the world and sometimes she needed that.

There were no stars out at that moment, but the deep blue sky was doing almost as good of a job at calming her. Yuugi watched the clouds going by, lazily tracing the different shapes. She could feel a low hum of worry coming down the link from Yami - apparently not even shields were enough to keep out the strongest of emotions - and doubtless her grandfather was feeling the same way, but she couldn't bring herself to go downstairs just yet. It was too much. Every time she thought about her mother, a lump formed in her throat and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

How could she have just_ left_? Granted, it had been difficult for the both of them after Yuugi's father had died. Koto had been overwhelmed at being a single mother for a toddler at the young age of twenty. Daichi's death had been swift and unexpected and she'd floundered. Fortunately, Sugoroku had stepped up, taking them both in when they had nowhere else to go. He'd saved them, but there had been times, Yuugi knew, when her mother had regretted her lot in life. She vividly remembered overhearing an argument when she was a child that had ended when Sugoroku told Koto to leave if she wanted to, but not to come back if she did. Did that still stand? Would her mother ever return? Or was she now, for all intent and purposes, an orphan?

God. Yuugi covered her face, trying to hold back the swell of tears that burned at her eyes. She was sick of crying, tired of feeling like a child, but she couldn't help it. She dropped her hands to her sides and tilted her head back to stare up at the sky as she heard the sounds of someone, likely Yami, climbing up onto the roof. He was the only other person who had ever been up here with her, even though last time it had been because they were sharing a body, and sure enough he dropped down beside her a moment later. The sky was beginning to blur and she didn't dare look at him, but that didn't stop him. Yami reached out and took her hand, running his thumb soothingly over the pulse point in her wrist.

"Your mother," he said quietly, "is a very unwise woman."

"I don't know why you would say that." It was a struggle to keep her voice even and even as she heard the words coming out, she knew she shouldn't have said it. "You left me, too."

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Please review!


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** So I confess that I wasn't really sure where to take this chapter, but y'all are fortunate I take the bus to work in the morning. I spend the half hour drive in a half-asleep, half-awake state and that's where my writing problems are solved 99% of the time. Hence this chapter was born! It's a bit angsty but I do have to admit, I'm very pleased with how it came out. I hope you all agree. Enjoy!

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A silence fell, thick and heavy. Yuugi's eyes went wide with horror and she clapped her free hand over her mouth, like she could somehow take back the cruel words that had slipped out. Yami stiffened, his shoulders drawing back into a straight line, and his hand had tightened unconsciously around her wrist to the point where it started to hurt. He had his face turned away from her so that she couldn't see whether or not he was angry. At the thought that he might very well be - and rightfully so, considering what she'd said - a shiver worked its way across her body and snapped her out of her stunned daze.

"Yami, I… I shouldn't have - "

"Don't." It was only one word that was spoken quietly but it cut Yuugi off as surely as though he had shouted. "You're right."

There was something off about his voice, she thought unsteadily. Her heart was pounding so furiously that she actually felt dizzy. "I shouldn't have said that," she said uselessly, ignoring what he'd said, even though she knew that it wouldn't really help. It wasn't like she could take it back now that it had been said. "I…"

"It's fine, Yuugi." He said her name with a certain amount of exaggerated care and that hurt, but not as much as when he glanced back at her and she saw that there were _tears_ in his eyes. Tears. In his eyes. Yami was _crying_ because of something she had said. Out of all the reactions she thought he might have, that wasn't even an option. Guilt, hot and burning, flooded through her, rendering her temporarily speechless, and he continued, "Like I said, you're right. I had the choice to stay and I chose wrongly. No one was forcing me to go. You… you have every right to be angry with me. I understand now."

Yuugi chewed the inside of her cheek. "No, you don't."

"So you didn't mean it?"

Her mouth snapped shut and she stared at him. What could she say? How many times during the past year had she cursed him for leaving, for abandoning her when she needed him the most? For thinking about what everyone else wanted or needed but ignoring her just because her needs went against the others? A sick feeling engulfed her, adding to the guilt, as she realized that she _had_ meant it. She regretted saying it the way she had, hated how it had caused a fracture between them, but it was the truth, stark and horrible.

Yami nodded and released her wrist. It felt like the worst betrayal of all.

"Yuugi!"

She didn't know how long they had been sitting in silence, just staring at each other, before Sugoroku's call came. Yuugi swallowed hard, not daring to look away. Her mouth was painfully dry and she didn't think she could respond. No, she didn't want to answer; she wanted to stay here with Yami and fix this. She wanted Yami to take her into his arms and rub her back and tell her that everything would be okay. But there were still tears in his eyes and the distance between them, though mere inches, felt like a gulf that she had no way of crossing.

"Yuugi!" More demanding, bordering on upset.

"Yes?" It came out as a squeak. Yuugi wet her lips and tried again. "What, Jii-chan?"

"I need to speak to you. Are you and the pharaoh finished?"

"Yes," Yami said, and there was such finality about the way he said that that she doubled over, her breath coming in sharp, panicked pants. She started to reach for him, but he stood up and made his way to the edge of the roof. There was a tree that grew beside the house, planted on the day Yuugi had been born, and he nimbly caught one of the branches and hefted himself into the leaves. By the time she'd stumbled to her feet and staggered after him, he was already walking away from the house, hands shoved deeply into the pockets of the pants he had borrowed from Ryou's father.

"Yuugi?"

"I'm coming." Her throat felt tight and there was a pounding behind her eyes, but no tears would come. Numbly, she returned to the window and swung herself inside with a grace she normally didn't possess. Her feet touched the floor and she turned to see Sugoroku waiting for her.

He started to say something but then he paused, and she had to wonder what he saw in her face, in her eyes, that could make such a gentle look of compassion appear instead. He sighed softly and then stepped forward, taking her by the hand. Like she was a little child, he led her out of the room and down the stairs. Not once did he ask where Yami had gone, and he didn't take her into the kitchen for hot chocolate, either. Instead, he sat her down on the couch in the living room and then took the seat beside her, leaving a short distance between them.

"You didn't give me the chance to say anything else," he said.

It felt like his words were coming from far away. She had to struggle to listen to him. "No, I didn't," she said once she understood. Her tongue felt strange and heavy, but at least it was the truth. After hearing about her mother's departure, she had jumped up and walked away rather than listen to anything else. Now she wished she had stayed there, because nothing in the world could be as painful as this.

"I'm not sure where she went, though I could wager a guess. I'm not going to try to get into contact with her. If she wants to speak to us, she will. She knows that we're here." Sugoroku folded his hands on his knees, looking very old and very weary. "I want you to come back home. I'm not sure where you've been staying but you belong here. And of course, Yami is welcome to stay here as well. I know you belong together."

There was a pressure in her chest, sharp and jagged, like something was going to break. She couldn't breathe. "I have to go."

"What? But Yuugi - "

"I'm sorry. I just need to - " She stood up and walked blindly through the house, only making it to the door because she knew the layout so well. Sugoroku didn't try to stop her as she pushed the door open and walked outside into the bright sunlight. It hurt her eyes, or maybe that was just because everything had gone strangely grey and blurry, and her chest _hurt so damn much_…

The collision was unexpected, though it probably shouldn't have been, considering that she wasn't watching where she was going. Whoever she had banged into was substantially taller than Yuugi, and she found herself being recoiled backwards and landing hard on the ground as the man staggered with a pained grunt. "Oof! Hey, watch where you're - Yuugi?"

It took her a second to place the voice. She looked up. "Jou."

Jou's face was already creased in a smile, his apparent annoyance over the impact forgotten. "I've been looking everywhere for you, man. Ryou told me that you and Yami came to talk to your grandfather today. He told me what your mother did." His eyes took in the bruise on her cheek again. "I thought you might need some help restraining Yami." He paused suddenly, taking in the rest of her face, and then unexpectedly knelt down in front of her. When he spoke again, his voice had taken on a gentle tone she'd only ever heard him use with Shizuka. "Yuugi, what's wrong? Did something happen? Your mother?"

She shook her head and choked out a single word. "Yami."

He looked around, like he was expecting Yami to materialize with that one word. "You mean something happened to Yami?" he asked, and the understanding dawned. "Or something happened _with_ Yami." It didn't really seem to be necessary for her to answer. Jou sighed and leaned down, taking hold of her shoulders and lifting her to her feet. "Come on. I'll buy you an ice cream and you can tell me."

Ten minutes later they were sitting in the park. Jou had a triple-scoop of peanut butter and chocolate. Yuugi had a single scoop of strawberry that was beginning to melt all over her fingers, and she was staring at it like she didn't know what it was for. Just when Jou was beginning to think that he'd have to pry it out of her, her lips parted and she said, "My mother slapped me."

"I know. Ryou told me."

"She hit me because I wanted Yami back, because I was willing to do anything for him to return. She called me an "it"."

Judging by the way Jou gritted his teeth Ryou had neglected to mention that part. "What happened today, Yuugi? Did she hit you again?" He sounded like he was about two seconds from heading back to the Kame Game Shop to personally question Koto.

"No. She left," she replied dully. "Jii-chan said that she packed her suitcase and took off."

Jou inhaled sharply.

"I went up on the roof and Yami followed me. He said that my mother was being unwise. And I said…" Her throat closed up and it was suddenly, impossibly difficult to speak. "I said that I didn't know why he was saying that because he left me, too."

"Oh, Yuugi," Jou breathed out, stunned. He had seen Yuugi and Yami fight before, a handful of times. It was different then, of course, because they shared a body, but they'd never been able to stay angry at each other for long. One or both of them would always extend the proverbial olive branch before much time had passed. This, though - this was entirely different. "What did he say?"

"He was crying." Her voice was beginning to shake. Or maybe that was her hands. She let go of the ice cream and watched it hit the ground. "He walked away. I shouldn't have said that, I know I shouldn't, but I just…" She trailed off and closed her eyes. In that moment, she'd wanted him to suffer, to suffer like she had suffered for the past year, to know what it was like to sacrifice. In that split second before those ugly words had escaped, she hadn't thought that maybe he already knew. And yet… "He left me, Jou. He_ left_ me. And because of it I had to give up so much to get him back. It's not fair."

Suddenly she was the one crying, hot tears burning her cheeks and her breath coming in sharp gasps. Jou looked stunned, honey eyes wide, but to his credit he recovered quickly and reached out, pulling her into a hug with his free hand. It was awkward - he was a little too tall and she was very conscious of the fact that she was clinging to her best friend - but Yuugi couldn't make herself pull away, even though her hands were sticky with strawberry ice cream and she was getting it all over his white shirt and green jacket.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, realizing that it must have been massively uncomfortable for him. They hadn't even had the chance to really talk yet. For all she knew, he was still angry. Yet he was holding onto her tightly anyway.

"It's fine, Yuugi, really. I - shit."

Icy coldness spread down her back and she jumped with a yelp. Her head snapped up and she stared at the ice cream cone in his hand. The fact that it only had two scoops left and the sheepish look on his face told her all she needed to know. Still, she couldn't help reaching back and feeling around her neck to see. Sure enough, her fingers encountered sticky cold cream. Melting rivulets were already trickling down her shoulders. Yuugi pulled her hand down, looked at her messy fingers, and burst out laughing.

"Oh my god, you dropped your ice cream on me," she said between giggles.

"Sorry," Jou said, mouth quirked into a grin. "I didn't mean to. I was trying to avoid that. I'll get you some napkins."

"No. Don't bother." Yuugi shook her head and sighed. Her eyes felt hot and swollen, her cheeks were stained with tears, and she was a complete mess. Her mother had abandoned her, she'd no doubt left her grandfather in a panic, and her other half was god only knew where, hurt because of a callous comment she'd made. Ra but she had really fucked up. She said as much and Jou chuckled.

"That's alright. I fucked up too when you told me about the… you know." He waved a hand at her lazily. "But you forgave me, right?"

"Yeah." She gave him a quiet smile. "I did."

"And Yami will forgive you too. You're the most important thing in the world to him." Jou nodded. "Just talk to him."

"Sound advice."

"I was due." He looked at her seriously, mirth fading. "I really think you should tell him the truth, Yuugi."

"But I didn't want him to feel…" She stopped. Her instinctive response was to say "I didn't want him to feel guilty" but evidently that wasn't completely true.

There was understanding in his face. "Regardless, I think it's important that you do. You two need to move past this. Stop hiding secrets from each other. Things always get messed up when you start doing that."

Yuugi smiled just a little, knowing that he was right. "Thanks Jou."

He grinned and leaned back. "Anytime."

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Please review!


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:** Yay for reviews! You guys warm my heart every time, which is appreciated on an ultra dreary day like this one. It's utter crap outside but if this is what it takes to get a nice long weekend I guess I can suffer through it with some approximation of good grace. And in the meantime, I get to torture characters, just to make sure that life sucks all around. Enjoy!

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For a few long minutes, Ryou just stared at Mokuba. Bakura and Yami. At high school. With people. With bodies of their own. She looked down at the certificate in her hand, then up at him again. Down. Up. Down. Up. Finally, her mind clicked into gear, and her lips parted. "Please tell me you're joking," she said weakly.

"I'm afraid not. It would look odd if they don't," said Mokuba apologetically. "There's only so much Nii-sama can do to change their records." He must have realized she was feeling unsteady because he took her arm and gently but firmly pushed her down into the nearest chair. "You don't want people looking at them or asking questions, Ryou-san. They have to be able to blend in to the point that no one will question who they are or why they're here or, more importantly, where they've come from. Being regular teenagers at high school is the easiest way to do that. People don't tend to ask many questions about a bunch of kids."

True enough and she had to admit that it made sense, but that was doing little to erase the sick feeling in her stomach. Bakura at high school? It sounded like the basis for a spectacular nightmare. He'd never been the most patient person in the world, barely able to tolerate even Ryou, who was his other half. She couldn't imagine how he would deal with other teenagers. And the teachers? Good god. Ryou put a hand to her head. "Is your brother doing this to torment us?"

Mokuba made no effort to hide his grin. "Maybe a little. I think it thrills him to know that he'll finally have something he can beat Yami at."

Figured. Ryou closed her eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the beginning of a headache pounding behind her temples. "Alright. Thank you," she said, though she wasn't really sure what she was thanking him for. "Do you know… when?"

"Not yet. Like I said, these aren't fully completed yet. I'm just showing you the prototype so you'll know we're working on it. It takes time to create identities if you want to do it right." Mokuba extracted the certificates from her hand and tucked them back into his pocket. "If anyone ever did have reason to look into their backgrounds we want to make sure that they wouldn't find anything suspicious. And besides, I figured Bakura and Yami will probably want a few days to adjust to being here again before they have to deal with anyone or anything else." He looked doubtfully at the hallway, where Bakura and Seto hadn't moved an inch. They were still having a staring – well, glaring – contest.

"Adjust. Yes." Ryou sighed and stood up, balancing herself on the edge of the chair. She hadn't stopped to consider how _troublesome_ it would be when their yamis returned, though she should have seen it coming. "Let us know how it goes. I'll tell Yami that your brother is looking for him. I'm sure that he'll be thrilled."

"Alright. Good luck." Mokuba moved out into the hallway, tugging Seto along with him as he went. Ryou crossed the room to watch them go, not noticing or caring where Bakura had gone. The phone rang and she picked it up, lifting it to her ear.

"Hello?" she said tiredly. The day that had started out well felt like it was fast heading downhill, and she wasn't sure how many more surprises she could take.

"Ryou? It's me."

"Yuugi! I was wondering when I would hear from you." She paused briefly, suddenly realizing that even though she'd only spoken three words, Yuugi sounded tense and unhappy and even a bit afraid. A coil of apprehension unfurled in her belly. "What happened? Didn't it go well?"

Yuugi gave a brief, hollow laugh. "You could say that. My mother is gone, Ryou. She packed her bags and left."

"Shit," Ryou breathed, sinking down into the armchair. She wasn't normally one for swearing but the situation seemed to call for it. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. That's not even the worst part. Yami and I had a fight afterwards. He was trying to comfort me by saying that my mother was unwise by leaving, and I said I didn't know why he was saying that because he left me, too." She paused when Ryou gasped out loud and then went on, "He was _crying_, Ryou. Can you believe that? I've never seen Yami cry over anything before, but this… what I said killed him. It was one of the worst things I could have…" Yuugi's voice trailed off and Ryou heard a choked little sound.

"I'm sure Yami will understand when you apologize," she said quickly, knowing it was the truth. It was so unlike Yami to ever give into tears, but if there was one person in the world who was capable of provoking that sort of reaction from him, it was Mutou Yuugi. Yami thought the sun rose and set on his little partner and she suspected that there was little Yuugi could ever say or do that Yami wouldn't forgive. "Just... talk to him, Yuugi."

"And tell him the truth?"

Ryou closed her eyes. "Yes, alright."

"I'm sorry. I know we agreed to keep things quiet for a while, but - "

"No, I understand. And honestly, I think you're right, Yuugi. It was probably pretty foolish of us to think that we could hide this from Bakura and Yami. Sooner or later they were going to find out. I mean, Bakura's going to live here with me and I assume Yami will be staying with you. In such close quarters I guess it was inevitable. Maybe it's better we do it now." She hoped she sounded more convincing than she felt. The thought of telling Bakura the truth was nothing short of terrifying and made her feel sick to her stomach.

"Okay, if you're sure. I'm going to try to track Yami down. I don't know if he'll be willing to talk to me but I have to try. Let me know if he comes back there."

"Will do. Good luck, Yuugi." She hung the phone up and stared down at it for a long moment. Her hand was shaking a little, she noticed distantly. God, what would Bakura say? He'd scorned her when she was a boy, calling her weakling and coward. They seemed to be getting along well enough at the moment, but she hated to think of what he would do when he found out that she was now a girl. If he'd thought her weak before, well… that was probably nothing compared to how he would feel now, and the fact that she'd done it for him would mean little. But if Yami knew, it would only be a matter of time before Bakura found out.

"What were you going to tell me?"

"Fuck!" Ryou jumped about a foot in the air at the sound of the sudden voice and nearly fell off of the chair in her haste to turn around. Bakura was standing right behind her, a smirk on his face. "Would you _stop doing that_? You're going to give me a heart attack before the age of twenty."

Bakura's smirk grew wider. "It's not my fault that you don't observe your surroundings. You know, you really wouldn't have made much of a thief."

Ryou combed her fingers through her hair and shot him a dirty look. "Well then it's a good thing I have no interest in ever becoming a thief, then, isn't it?" she retorted, putting the phone back on the cradle.

"What were you going to tell me?" he repeated, disregarding her comment entirely. She shifted and his eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, lessening the distance between them considerably. "I knew there was something different about you from the beginning, but I put it down to sentimentality." His lip curled, like that was the worst thing he could think of. "But it's not. I might have been gone for a year, but you… You_ look_ different and you're actually acting differently, too. Something has changed, something you didn't want me to know about." He folded his arms across his chest, studying her intently. "The Pharaoh is considered the golden child of the gods. He wouldn't even stop to consider that they never do anything without being given something in return, not even for him. What did you give them?"

Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him, stunned. "You… _knew_?"

"Like I said, the gods do nothing for free," Bakura said bitterly. "When I was offered the chance to return without being asked for a sacrifice, I knew that meant someone had paid it already. It would be a hefty price for a life, and it had to come from your end. I just couldn't figure out why you would have willingly paid it. Why do you think I wanted to know why you wanted me to return?"

And she had walked right into it, Ryou realized with a flush of humiliation. It had never even occurred to her to wonder why Bakura might ask that. Bakura of all people, who was openly scornful of things like emotion and attachment, and she'd answered unthinkingly, letting him know that it was because she'd been weak. Her shoulders hunched. "If you knew that I'd given something up, why didn't you ask what it was before?"

"I was trying to work it out for myself. I would've eventually. You've never been able to hide things from me," he said. "I don't need to share your body to know what goes through your mind."

She kind of really wanted to slap him, but she reined in the urge. "Fine. Yes, alright, I suppose you could say that the gods asked a certain sacrifice of me." It was tempting to look away, but she forced herself to face him squarely. "I wasn't told what the price would be ahead of time. They just wanted to know if I would be willing to pay it. And I said yes."

"You said yes without knowing the price?" he repeated incredulously, looking at like she had gone crazy.

"That's right." Bakura wouldn't understand that, she knew. He was a thief and his whole life was about weighing value and figuring out how to get something for nothing, no matter what underhanded tricks it required. She didn't need to think twice to know that his answer to such a question would have been a resounding no, and that hurt. Frowning, she looked away from him and, crossing her arms defensively, took a deep breath. "They wanted something important, something whose absence I would notice."

"Your father?" There was a marked hesitation about the way he said that.

Ryou exhaled a breathy laugh and shook her head. "No, Bakura," she said wearily. "This was all about me, not someone else, remember? A price that_ I_ had to be willing to pay to get you back. And now I'm a girl."

It was spoken so flatly, so unexpectedly, that it actually took Bakura a moment to catch up. He opened his mouth and then paused before speaking. His head tilted and then lowered to stare at her chest before he glanced back up at her face. "You're… a _what_?"

"A girl," Ryou repeated calmly. She'd never seen Bakura speechless before. It was nice. "The price was something big, something that I'd always notice and mourn, something that would change who I am." Purposely, she stopped lowering her voice, allowing it to come out at what was now her natural pitch.

His eyes widened. "You must be lying."

"I wish I was. We had a chance, you know, to take it back. And even though I hate being a girl, I still believed it was worth it to have _you_ back." A small, harsh smile flashed across her face. "I dread to think what that says about me, but take it as you will."

Bakura just looked at her for a long time.

And then he reached down and pulled her top up.

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Please review!


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** I am totally blown away by the response to the last chapter… and also incredibly amused by the fact that nearly every single one of you suggested that Ryou slap Bakura and call him a pervert for his actions! And believe me, I seriously contemplated it, but Ryou just didn't want to cooperate. I swear these characters sometimes… enjoy!

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After Ryou was done having a shower that morning, she had, in the interest of trying to keep certain things a secret from Yami and Bakura (which she and Yuugi had managed for a whole half a day, thank you very much), re-bound her breasts, covering everything from her armpits to just above her ribs with a fine white coating of bandages that was fastened in the back with a small black clasp. It wasn't enough to make her completely flat, but the bandages, plus the over-sized shirt she was wearing, plus the fact that no one was supposed to be looking closely had been enough to keep the illusion in place.

Those bandages were exactly what Bakura saw when he yanked her top up.

Both of them froze.

"Bakura…" Ryou began, and really she wasn't quite sure what she was going to say, so maybe it was for the best that she stopped speaking when he reached out and touched her with his free hand. She stiffened instinctively, her hands tightening into fists. She wanted to slap him, and she probably would have if it hadn't been for the look on his face. The distrustful sneer had disappeared, replaced with an expression that could only be described as childish curiosity, and his fingers weren't groping or grabbing, but merely exploring, following the line of her natural dips and curves.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, not taking his gaze from the bandages.

"Sometimes." She didn't know if he meant the breasts or the binding, and quite frankly she wasn't about to ask. This situation was just too bizarre as it was. She knew she wouldn't have let anyone else touch her this way, especially a man: anyone else would have already gotten a slap across the face and possibly a knee to the groin if they had persisted. Only Bakura, and was that ever an unsettling thought.

"You weren't lying." His hand pressed a little harder, trying to verify that it was flesh underneath the binding and not something else, like she would have gone as far as to create fake boobs just for the purpose of lying to him.

"No, I wasn't." Ryou took a deep breath and her chest swelled with the movement, pushing her breasts more firmly against his hand. Bakura was frowning, looking slightly puzzled, and she wondered just how many women he had ever touched. Judging by the way he was reacting, she would have guessed not very many, if any. His finger began prying at the top of the bandage and she knew it was only a matter of minutes before he would figure out the clasp and have her standing in the room, half-naked. And that was just… no. There were some lines she wasn't willing to cross, at least not yet.

Gently, she reached up and grabbed his wrist, stopping him. He frowned in protest but she ignored it as she pushed his hand away and pulled her shirt back down. She bent her arms behind her back until she'd gotten a hold of the clasp and tugged. It came away easily and the bandages began unraveling immediately. Ryou tugged them all out from underneath her shirt and sighed as the feeling of her every breath being restricted eased. She looked up again, noticing that Bakura was openly staring at her chest and the two obvious protrusions that her shirt was now clinging to.

"Alright, go ahead," she said, wondering if she had lost her mind.

His hands returned immediately, exploring, cupping both of her breasts like he was weighing a piece of meat. He tugged gently, like he was making sure that they were truly attached to her body, and Ryou felt a small smile break out across her lips. She kept her hands at her sides, waiting patiently for him to be finished. It felt odd, a little on the intimate side, but this _was_ Bakura, after all. It was almost like being examined by a child who was learning about the differences between the male and female body for the first time, not that she would have ever shared that thought with him.

Finally he lost interest and stepped back. "I still think you're foolish," he announced. "The gods are never merciful. You should never agree to anything without knowing what they want in return."

Ryou blinked at him as she took the bandages and began to fold them into a neat pile. She felt oddly cold now that his hands were gone. "I'll keep that in mind," she said wryly. "But I doubt I'll ever have reason for the gods to be approaching me again as long as you keep yourself alive."

"I have no intention of dying again." His eyes dropped to below her waist and took on a curious gleam.

She pointed a threatening finger at him. "Try it and this time I _will _slap you."

**INC**

The house looked fairly normal. Tucked away into one of Domino's quieter streets, it had been painted a cheerful shade of blue, with tidy white shutters and a little white fence to keep out passing strangers. Yami looked it over with a critical eye, wondering if he'd found the right place. He'd only been here once before and that was back when he and Yuugi had still been sharing a body, back before Yuugi had really been conscious of his presence. He was pretty sure that this was the house he remembered; he just hoped that no one had moved while he was in the afterlife, or he was going to be out of luck. There was only one way to find out.

Within minutes of knocking on the door, though, he knew that was he was correct. It was opened by an older woman with dark hair worn up in a messy bun, stray strands falling around her face. She had warm blue eyes hidden behind tinted glasses, and as she squinted at him she pushed them up onto her forehead. It was like looking at Anzu twenty years down the road. "How may I help you?" she asked.

"I'm looking for Anzu," said Yami. "Is she here?"

"Yes. Are you one of her friends from school?"

It seemed easiest just to nod, so he did. Anzu's mother turned and shuffled away, and a moment later he heard her calling for Anzu. Then there was the sound of feet pounding on the staircase and Anzu popped into view. "Jou, you jerk, you were supposed to be here - oh my god!"

Yami smiled and gave a meek wave. "Hello, Anzu-san."

Anzu stared at him for a couple of minutes in complete disbelief before she shook her head slowly. "Kaa-san, I'm going out for a while!" she called, not taking her eyes off of Yami. She walked towards him and grabbed a white jacket off of the coat hook, pulling it on over her blue sundress. "Come on. I don't want to do this here."

Though he wasn't sure what "this" was, Yami followed her silently. They fell into step beside each other as they walked down the street. Anzu had her hands thrust deeply into the pockets of her jacket, and she looked thoughtful. Yami snuck a handful of sneak peeks in her direction, curious about the changes that a year might have wrought. Physically, she didn't look very different: same chestnut hair and blue eyes, same welcoming smile, same penchant for a shorter, bouncy stride. Emotionally, however, was perhaps a different story. Eventually he worked up the courage to break the silence.

"I'm sorry if I was disturbing you, Anzu-san. I didn't think about the fact that you might have had plans already."

"It's fine." Anzu hunched her shoulders slightly against the wind. "I was just going to hang out with Jou, but he's already half an hour late. He probably went by Burger World and got distracted." She paused briefly and then turned her head, looking straight at him. "I have to admit, I was surprised to see you there. I didn't think you ever knew where my house was and I certainly never expected you to visit without Yuugi."

It was a perfect opening. Too bad that didn't make him feel any better. "We had a fight," he confessed in a low voice, knowing that she'd seen straight through him.

"Hmm, thought so. What did you do?"

"I left."

There was a whole lot of pain wrapped up in those two words. Anzu flinched and gripped the edges of her jacket, pulling them tightly to her chest. She couldn't say that she was surprised this had come up as soon as it had. Yuugi had been deeply hurt by Yami's decision to leave. That had been evident to everyone who knew him, even if Yuugi had gone out of his way to avoid admitting it. Even for Anzu, there had been times during the past year where she'd cursed Yami for leaving her best friend in that kind of impossible situation.

"Yes, well," she said at last, her voice wavering slightly. "What happened? I need more details than that."

"Yuugi's mother left," he said, staring down at the pavement. "Yuugi was very upset, I think. He went up onto the roof and when I joined him, I was trying to comfort him… I said that his mother had been unwise and he said he didn't know why I was saying that when I'd done the same thing."

"Ouch," she muttered. Yuugi certainly knew how to make a blow count. She put aside the knowledge about Yuugi's mother for the time being and tried to focus on his problem. "Technically, he does have a point," she said gently, and it really said something about the state of her life that she now had to remind herself to refer to Yuugi as a "he" and not a "she".

"I know he does." Yami was curled in on himself, face lowered so that she couldn't see his expression. "But I…" He stopped.

"But what?"

"It's not like I wanted to go," he said slowly. "Being here… with Yuugi… it was everything I had ever wanted. Even after I got my memories back, there was no time that I could remember where I was happier. But everyone was saying that it would be better if I went. It seemed like the natural conclusion to the story. Aibou didn't need me anymore, not really. It was just what I was supposed to do."

Anzu sighed. It amazed her how very young Yami looked at the moment. Apparently not even pharaohs were indestructible against things like self esteem issues. "Yuugi will always need you," she told him gently. "He loves you and you love him. The two of you were made for each other. I know we put a lot of pressure on you at that time and I'm sorry about that. We should've backed off and given you the opportunity to make your decision without making you feel like you had to pick one way or the other." Especially since the main reason for his departure, keeping the Shadow Realm bound, hadn't worked out. Hoping she wasn't over-stepping the line, she asked, "Yami, you were never truly happy in the afterlife, were you?"

He stiffened slightly and shook his head slowly. Anzu stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, and though he paused, he didn't look at her. That was alright. She moved forward, giving him plenty of time to back away, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him into a hug. He stood tense in the circle of her arms, and it was not so much that he didn't want to return it, she realized, as that he didn't seem to know how. The embrace he and Yuugi had shared in the yard at the school had been borne from instinctual desperation, not an innate knowledge. She sighed into his hair and tightened her arms a little.

"Talk to Yuugi," she said into his ear. "The time apart has done damage to both of you that won't be repaired by you hanging around here talking to me. Explain your reasons for leaving. He'll understand. You two can move past this if you're willing to try, and, for him, I don't think there's anything you wouldn't do."

Yami nodded, just once, and pressed his forehead against her shoulder. He didn't seem inclined to move away and she was willing to stand there and hold him for as long as he would let her. She dropped her cheek onto the wild mane of his hair, idly wondering if there would ever be a place for her between the two of them. The strength of her own feelings had not lessened while he was gone, and, even though she wouldn't have said as much, she was determined that she would make an honest attempt for his affection this time around.

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Please review!


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! A couple of people asked me whether this will still be puzzleshipping, or whether it would descend into revolutionshipping. The answer is no. There will be one-sided love on Anzu's part, but I firmly believe that Yami has never seen, and will never see, Anzu as anything but a friend. No need to worry… this may not be slash, but that doesn't mean my OTPs have changed. Enjoy!

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It was growing late in the day by the time Ryou heard the front door shut, followed by footsteps preceding someone's arrival. She had spent a rather unimaginative day doing chores around the house and pretending to ignore Bakura, who had been wandering around touching everything with a look of wonderment on his face that quickly turned to embarrassment if he realized that she was watching with an indulgent smile. He had followed her from room to room, trailing silently behind her like a lost puppy, though he tried to act like it was coincidence that they kept ending up in the same place. She thought it was adorable, but since that was not a word that Bakura would have accepted in regards to himself, she kept her mouth shut and acted like she didn't notice. She was in the kitchen making spaghetti for dinner while Bakura sat at the table and ate chocolate chips when Yami appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, hello," Ryou said with some surprise when she realized that he was alone. One glance at his face told her that something wasn't right, and she felt worry bubbling in her stomach as she reached out and absently stirred the pot of noodles. Had their talk gone poorly? What did Yami think of them now that he knew what had happened?

"Good evening," Yami replied, sounding weary. "I've been looking for Aibou all day. Have you seen him, Ryou?"

Him. Yuugi hadn't spoken to Yami at all, then. Thank god she'd felt a little chilled earlier and had put on one of her father's thicker sweaters, which hid any sign of her breasts. Ryou relaxed slightly, trying to ignore Bakura's knowing expression, and leaned against the counter. "Sorry, Yami. I spoke to... err... him earlier and he said that he was going to look for you. That's the last I'd heard." She frowned slightly.

Yami sighed. "I went all over town and visited most of Aibou's friends to see if they'd heard from him. I even went back to the Kame Game Shop to see if he'd talked to his grandfather. The only one who'd seen him was Jou, and he told me the same thing, that Yuugi was looking for me. I guess we must keep missing each other."

"I can try calling him. Bakura, come over here and stir this." She held up the stick. Bakura scowled, but surprisingly, he actually stood up and came over to her. He took the stick and leaned over the bubbling water to poke unenthusiastically at the noodles, but Ryou knew that as soon as he was alone he'd be utterly fascinated by the steam or the pot or the hot water or _something_. He couldn't seem to get enough of touching after centuries of sensory deprivation, and really, she couldn't blame him.

Ryou moved away into the living room and picked up the phone, dialling Yuugi's number from memory. Yami hovered in the doorway, watching her anxiously. She shot him a comforting smile even as the voicemail picked up. Instead of leaving a message, she clicked off and sent a text requesting that Yuugi call as soon as she could. "No answer… but I wouldn't be concerned, Yami. It's only half past six. Why don't you eat dinner with us and I'll try again afterwards?"

"Alright." He trailed her back into the kitchen. Ryou pretended she didn't see the handful of half-cooked noodles Bakura was stuffing into his mouth and took over again. Once the noodles were done cooking, she added the sauce and gave all three of them heaping platefuls, leaving the fourth plate on the counter in the hopes that Yuugi would show up. They sat down at the table and began eating - or at least, Ryou and Bakura did. Yami poked half-heartedly at his meal, darting quick glances at the door every so often. By the end of the meal, he had progressed to outright staring, like he could silently will Yuugi to come home.

In spite of her best efforts, Ryou was getting worried, too. Her spaghetti tasted like cardboard and she finally gave up, pushing the plate over in front of Bakura. She fetched the phone again and started systematically working her way down the line, calling Anzu, Jou, Honda, Mokuba, and Sugoroku. None of them had heard from Yuugi since earlier in the day. Chewing on her lip, she stood up and went over to one of the kitchen drawers. Isis had given her a cell phone number to contact them if necessary and she remembered tossing the slip of paper into a drawer, thinking she'd never need it. It took her only a moment to find it.

"Hello?"

The sound of Malik's honey voice was surprisingly calming. Ryou closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Malik, it's Ryou. Have you heard from Yuugi?"

"No, not since the last time we spoke," Malik replied. He paused and Ryou knew the exact moment that his mind leapt to the same conclusion hers had already arrived at. "She was out in the city alone, wasn't she? Nee-san and I felt the Shadow Realm being activated a few hours ago, but she attributed it to something that Nii-san was doing. But it wasn't. It was Yuugi."

She felt sick. "No one has heard from her since this morning, Malik."

"Shit," he breathed. "Stay there, Ryou. Don't leave Bakura's side. We're coming over."

The line went dead and her hand shook as she ended the call on her side. Slowly, she pivoted to face Yami and Bakura, who were both staring at her. Likely, they read the truth in her face before she spoke, but she still had to say it. "Yuugi's missing. I think she's been taken by Yami Malik."

**INC**

Dark. Cold. Those were the first two sensations that Yuugi became aware of, following by pain. Her whole body was aching, every nerve thrumming, but it was a distant pain, like someone had laid a canvas down over the sensation that prevented her from truly feeling it. Her fingers and toes were numb and she realized that she was shivering, which meant that the cold wasn't merely an internal issue. She forced her eyes open and flinched. Even though the room - or wherever she was - was mostly dark, the little bit of hazy light was still enough to make her eyes throb. That set off her head. A slow pounding began right behind her temples and she let her head fall back in exhaustion. What the hell had happened?

Okay, she had to think about it. She could remember talking to Jou in the park. He'd encouraged her to track Yami down and tell him the truth and she had decided to follow his advice. Unfortunately, Yami didn't have a cell phone, so she'd gone back to the Kame Game Shop to see if he had returned. But there hadn't been any sign of him. So what had she done after that? Yuugi squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tried to think, but her memory after that was a complete blank. She recalled returning to the shop and deciding not to talk to her grandfather, but then - what? It made sense that she would've gone back to Ryou's to look for Yami, but she didn't actually remember doing that.

"What happened to me?" she mumbled, opening her eyes again. The light wasn't quite so bad this time around and she was able to keep them again, though the world around her remained fuzzy and somewhat blurry. She lifted her hands and rubbed her eyes, then looked around again. That had helped a little, as it was immediately obvious why the world hadn't seemed quite right.

The walls of the room around her - and she used the word "room" very loosely - were a misty, smoky shade of purple that looked a little, to the uneducated eye, like clouds. Yuugi's heart sank and she immediately pushed herself to her feet, not caring that she swayed once she was actually standing. She was in the Shadow Realm, though she had no memory of how she'd gotten there. Her heart began to pound and she reached instinctively for her chest. It was a painful reminder when her fingers closed around stark, empty space. She was alone and she didn't even have the Millennium Puzzle for protection. Her situation had gone from bad to worse and she had the feeling it wasn't going to get any better.

"Hello?" she called out, hoping against hope that Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl would pop out to answer. But nothing happened. She gritted her teeth against the urge to panic. The only thing worse than having someone be there with her was being completely alone. The Shadow Realm was an infinite, echoing place where negative emotions were amplified, and that include fear and misery, both of which Yuugi was feeling in spades. Weakly, she wrapped her arms around herself and tried to keep calm.

Since there weren't any duel monsters around, that meant that there was one likely (and unwelcome) conclusion as to how she'd gotten here. Yuugi closed her eyes and stood very still, desperately reaching out towards Yami. Damn her secret; she would gladly tell him everything if only she could just get in contact with him! But just as her shields were coming down, something cold and hard snapped into place around her neck. Instantly her eyes flew open and her hands darted to her throat, tugging uselessly at a collar. It felt like it was made of some kind of hard fabric that was icy to the touch. Frantically she ran her fingers around it, searching for some kind of buckle or seam, but there was nothing.

Behind her, someone laughed. "Poor little hikari."

Oh Ra. Slowly she turned around, almost dreading what she was about to see. Her worst fears were confirmed when she saw the shadowy figure standing right behind her. Yami Malik did not look the better for having spent well over a year trapped in the Shadow Realm. His once pale hair had darkened into an ugly, washed out blond, and his tanned skin had gone sallow. It was his eyes, though, that chilled her the most. The lavender irises had darkened into nearly pitch black, and she couldn't see even a hint of sanity, not that he'd possessed much in the first place. Shakily, she took a step backwards.

"Y-Yami M-Malik," she stammered. "What are you doing? Why did you bring me here?"

"Surely that should be obvious to the pharaoh's hikari," he sneered, stalking closer to her. Or at least, he tried. His feet weren't touching the ground, she noticed, like he was gliding instead of walking. "I've been waiting to get my revenge on you and now I'll have my chance. It's so pleasant when one's prey falls right into a trap."

"I don't..." Her voice failed and she swallowed hard. She'd been foolish to go running around on her own, she knew. Isis had strongly cautioned her against doing just that, saying that Yami Malik would be waiting for such an opportunity, and it seemed she'd been right.

"You don't what?" he asked mockingly. "I hope you're not still trying to get into contact with the pharaoh. That band is created from shadow magic and it will stop your link from functioning as long as it's around your neck. And don't bother trying to take it off." His smile grew and became distinctly crueller. "Or perhaps you _should_ try. I'm in the mood to hear some cries of pain. I haven't been able to torture anyone but duel monsters for the longest time, and it gets very tiresome hearing those stupid creatures make the same sounds all the time. After a while they all begin to sound the same. But you..." He slowly looked her up and down. "I'll bet that you would make some truly delicious sounds."

It was official: she was well and truly past the point of trying to remain calm. Yuugi backed up another step, clenching her shaking hands into tight fists. She tried to reach out for any strand of magic that might still be in her body, but it was like trying to grab a fistful of water. Useless. "You can't do this. Yami will come for me."

"Oh, I'm sure he will," Yami Malik purred. Quick as a snake, he was standing in front of her. He was a fair few inches taller, so he towered over her. He reached out and grabbed her wrists, preventing her from moving backwards, and pulled her forward so that there were only a few inches of space between their bodies. Ignoring her attempt at a struggle, he pinned her wrists with one hand and touched the collar with the other. "Mmm, I hope the pharaoh comes soon. I'll have less time to play with you but the best part is when someone finds out that their light has been tainted." He grinned. "And please, don't be afraid to scream."

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Please review!


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** So it seems that y'all have a one track mind when it comes to torture! No, this story will not be going that route. There are more ways to inflict pain on someone than just rape and making Yuugi a girl only to have her go through that doesn't sit right with me. Having said that, I'm putting a **warning** up for mild torture in the latter half of the chapter - don't read it if that disturbs you. Everyone else, enjoy!

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"Bakura, could go you outside and wait for Malik and Isis to arrive?"

Bakura was leaning against the wall, gazing disinterestedly out the window when Ryou made her request. He turned his head slightly, casting his other half a narrow-eyed glare. In the cold light of the moon, he looked like an exotic figure, with pale hair and eyes that contrasted sharply against his tanned skin. "Why?"

"Because I need to talk to Yami," Ryou replied as patiently as she could. The past hour had been agony. Yami had sunk into some sort of stupor. He was sitting on the edge of the couch and staring off into space, no doubt imagining with painful clarity exactly what Yuugi was going through. Ryou felt the itch to pace, to clean, to do her homework, to do _something_ other than sit still and worry, but she'd restrained the urge. Bakura, of course, was the very picture of calm.

He glanced past at her, towards Yami. "And I can't be a part of it?"

"No," she said simply, folding her arms. While Yami and Bakura had been, oddly enough, actually getting along since their return, every interaction included a wariness that could turn violent at the slightest provocation. She didn't think Yami would appreciate it if Bakura saw him at his weakest; it was probably bad enough that Ryou would be the one to break the news, not Yuugi. "Please, Bakura."

For a moment, she thought he was going to refuse. His lips tightened into a scowl, but then he pushed off of the wall and sauntered outside. Ryou waited until the door had closed before she walked over to Yami and sat down beside him. He was so out of it that he didn't even notice her. She took a deep breath before cautiously reaching out and a placing a hand on his arm to get his attention. Yami looked down, staring at her hand like he couldn't figure out what it was for. Then, slowly, he turned his head his head to blink at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes," he said, "yes, I'm fine, Ryou."

"You don't look like you're fine. It's not your fault, you know."

"That's kind of you to say, but I know it's not true. If I had stayed with Yuugi instead of leaving him at the shop, Yami Malik wouldn't have had the chance to do this." He clenched his hands into fists.

"Well, that's true, but you couldn't have known that would happen. And besides, Yuugi knew better than to wander around the town alone." Even as she spoke, she knew it was useless; nothing and no one would be able to comfort Yami until Yuugi was back where she belonged. Ryou shifted uneasily and cleared her throat. "I have something to tell you. Well, actually, Yuugi was going to tell you before she was taken, but obviously she can't now, and I still feel like you should know because at some point someone is going to let it slip." Technically, she already had when she'd been talking to Malik, but Yami had been too horrified to pay any attention. She doubted it would happen a second time.

Yami's eyes focused on her again and he raised an eyebrow, momentarily distracted from his self-recrimination by her babbling. "What's wrong?"

"A few days ago, Yuugi and I were approached by Dark Magician and Change of Heart. They wanted to know if we wanted you and Bakura to return," Ryou said. There was no easy way to say this, so she decided to just go for it. "The thing was, if our answer was yes, there was a catch. A sacrifice needed to be made in order for the two of you to be brought back."

"A sacrifice." It was impossible to tell what Yami was thinking.

Ryou nodded hesitantly. "Yes, a sacrifice. We weren't allowed to know what it was before we said yes or no, either." She looked down at her hands and straightened the edge of her sweater. "Well, since you're here, I suppose you can imagine we both said yes."

"What was the sacrifice?"

"Yuugi and I… we're both girls now."

There was a moment of stunned silence. "You're both _what_?"

Realizing that he would probably need some proof, Ryou removed her hand from his arm and grabbed the bottom of the sweater she was wearing. She pulled it over her head and shook her hair out, setting the sweater aside. Without the added padding, the button-up top she was wearing was clingy enough to show her breasts. Yami's lips parted silently and he stared, speechless, though fortunately he made no move to touch. His eyes moved from her chest to her hands to her face and back down again, cataloguing all of the small, subtle details he'd initially not paid any attention to.

"Yami?" she prodded gently after a minute or two had passed without him speaking. Had she broken him for good this time? "Are you alright?"

"You're a girl," he said faintly.

"That's right."

"And Yuugi too. _Fuck_."

It was so unlike the pharaoh to swear that Ryou just stared, shocked, as he leaned forward and buried his head in his hands, groaning. "Y-Yami?"

"No wonder he… she… was so angry at me," he muttered. "It was my choice… and then you had to do this in order for us to return… Ra _damn it_." He looked up at her, something like desperation glittering in his eyes. "Why didn't Yuugi tell me before?"

"Both of us decided to keep it a secret for different reasons," she confessed. "I was a little worried about how Bakura would react. And Yuugi thought that you would feel guilty. Clearly she was right." Ryou attempted a smile that didn't come out quite right judging by the way Yami grimaced. She settled for chewing nervously on her lower lip instead. "Like I said, she was going to tell you. That's why I told Bakura."

He muttered something under his breath about the gods and stood up, pacing back and forth. "I can't believe this. I knew that something had changed, but I never could have imagined…" He trailed off and shook his head impatiently before turning to face her. "Thank you for telling me, Ryou."

"You're welcome," she said softly, relieved that he'd taken it well. "I don't know if it will help you find Yuugi, but I thought that you should know."

"You were correct," he replied, closing his eyes briefly. He sighed before giving her a thin smile. "Yuugi and I definitely need to have a long talk, but… We have to concentrate on finding him… her… first. Gods only know what Yami Malik is up to."

There was nothing Ryou could say to that and she knew it. She sat in helpless silence, watching him continue to pace, until the door opened and Bakura came back in. Without a word to either of them, he walked over to the couch and sat down beside Ryou, close enough that their thighs and shoulders brushed. The reason why became clear a moment later when Isis and Malik followed the irate darkness inside. Malik kept darting nervous looks in Bakura's direction, and he wisely kept his distance.

"We came as quickly as we could," said Isis, looking at Yami. "You still haven't heard from her?"

"No," said Ryou, "I can try her phone again but I don't think it's going to make a difference. I sent her a text and she never responded."

Isis sighed. "I was afraid of this happening," she murmured. "If Yuugi has been taken into the Shadow Realm, electronics like her cell phone will be useless." She looked troubled and Ryou knew what she was thinking: even if Yuugi's cell phone had been working, the likelihood of her being able to use it was not high. "My Pharaoh, you'll have to reach out to your duel monsters and encourage them to search the Shadow Realm for Yuugi's presence."

"That could take days!" Yami exclaimed.

"We have no other way of searching," Isis said.

"What about your link?" said Bakura.

Ryou looked at Bakura in surprise. "Oh, yes," she said. It was amazing how fast she'd forgotten about the link now that it was back. Even heavily shielded to keep anything from slipping through without permission, the link had settled into place like it had never been broken.

Yami didn't say anything for a moment. An odd expression crossed his face and he said reluctantly, "I can't feel her."

A cold chill slid down Ryou's back and she found herself clutching Bakura's arm before she could stop herself. "At all?" she asked, horrified, dreading to think about what that could mean. And when she saw the way Yami winced, she wished she'd thought twice about saying anything.

"It might not mean anything," Malik pointed out, speaking for the first time since he'd entered the house. "That could be interference from the Shadow Realm.

"Let's hope that's all it is," Isis muttered grimly. She glanced at Ryou and added, "You would do well to exercise extreme caution. Now that he has taken Yuugi, you or my brother will be next."

Bakura said nothing, but he did pull Ryou's hands off of his right arm. She was embarrassed by her unconscious reaction until she felt his hand sliding around her waist, coming to rest on the warm, bare skin of her opposite hip, underneath her shirt where no one would notice. The grip was entirely possessive and, in its own way, almost comforting. Ryou relaxed against him just a little, her weight coming to rest in the comfortable curve of his body, as Yami and Isis began to make plans.

**INC**

It was amazing how many ways a person could inflict pain without ever touching someone. Yuugi lay on her back and stared up into the infinite darkness of the Shadow Realm. Every breath hurt, no matter how shallow it was. Her nerves throbbed, singing with a phantom pain that didn't have any one source. She closed her eyes - even _that_ hurt - and felt the sticky gloss of tears burning beneath her eyelashes. Yami Malik seemed to be determined to make her cry, and it was the one thing she had not yet afforded him. With effort, she blinked them away and drew in as deep breath as she dared before rolling over.

The world spun in a dizzying arc and she felt her stomach twisting with the effort to not be violently ill. She gagged on the taste of sour bile and shuddered, pushing her hands underneath her chest in an effort to lever her body up. Somewhere in the darkness, Yami Malik was waiting. He seemed to like watching her struggle to her feet, only to lunge out of the shadows and do something that would end up with her right back on the ground. It was nearly impossible not to twitch at every flicker she saw out of the corner of her eyes.

And yet… he hadn't touched her. Not since the first time he had shoved her down. It had been a relief at first, if only because she hadn't realized just how creative he could be, but at least he hadn't forced himself on her. Which, to be honest, she had been fully expecting from the moment that he appeared out of the shadows. After all, it seemed like the kind of traumatizing act that would be right up his alley. But strangely enough, that hadn't been the case. Indeed, if Yuugi hadn't known better, she would have said Yami Malik was almost repulsed by her. He went out of his way to avoid any contact between them, but that hadn't stopped him from watching the torture with an unholy glee.

"Had enough yet?" a deep, mocking voice rumbled behind her.

She tensed slightly and then grimaced when practically every nerve in her body protested. "I'm not sure what you think you'll accomplish by doing this," she said raggedly. It hurt to speak with a throat that was broken and cracked from screaming. When she swallowed, she could taste blood.

"You don't need a specific goal to enjoy pain," Yami Malik said pleasantly, pacing a wide circle around her. He gave an idle wave of his hand and she doubled over with a sharp cry as a blazing pain opened up underneath her ribs. She cupped her hand over the gash, shuddering as blood dribbled between her fingers. He smirked. "I think I'll leave that one. It looks so_ pretty_ when you bleed."

"Bastard," she whispered. Her clothes were soaked with blood. Even though most of her wounds healed as fast they appeared, it was enough to leave ample evidence of the damage that had been inflicted… and of course, the pain_ never_ disappeared; her nerves, muscles, and bones all remembered like the wounds were still there. It was too much. Her knees grew shakier the longer she stood and eventually she slumped, a shuttered groan escaping as she fell. Her vision was going dark and blurry and the last thing she saw before passing out was his taunting expression.

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Please review!


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Thank you for all the reviews! Several people have commented on the fact that there's been more tendershipping than puzzleshipping… As I have already explained to a few people, I think that the fact that Ryou and Bakura were so unknown to each other actually works in their favour in this case; they don't have the emotional baggage that Yuugi and Yami do and that makes it easier for them to get into a relationship. Slowly but surely, though, we're going to get there with both couples, I promise you. Enjoy!

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Yami and Isis were still making plans by the time that it had grown dark. Realizing that she wasn't going to be able to add anything to the conversation anytime soon, Ryou stood up, regretfully allowing Bakura's hand to slide off of her hip, and made for the stairs. She could only wait for Yami's duel monsters to respond for so long before she felt the need to get away. Besides that, she'd have school tomorrow... and someone would need to think of something to tell Sugoroku. Well, whatever happened, the someone telling Sugoroku would _not_ be Ryou. She'd had her fair share of handing out bad news over the past week and she wasn't inclined to do it anymore.

After turning down the sheets on her bed, she took a long, hot shower and emerged with just a towel wrapped around her body. Somehow, she wasn't surprised to see Bakura sprawled across her bed. "Can I help you?" she asked with a sigh, crossing to her dresser. It was awkward taking a pair of panties out of the drawer with Bakura staring at her. She tried to angle her body so that he wouldn't be able to see what she was doing, but she suspected that he knew.

"Not really. I just got tired of listening to the pharaoh," Bakura replied, not removing his gaze from the apparently fascinating ceiling. At least he wasn't looking right at her.

Ryou cast him a doubtful look, wondering whether or not he was telling the truth, but decided to let it go for the time being. It was just as well that he was there, really. Being alone in the house, even with Bakura, Yami, Isis and Malik right downstairs, had made her more nervous than she'd been expecting. She selected a pair of pyjamas and went into the bathroom to change. When she came out for a second time, Bakura was still there, except he had taken off his shirt and was now wearing only the pants he'd borrowed that morning. Ryou glanced at him briefly, mentally cataloguing all of the differences between the thief king's body and her previous male body. They were numerous, to say the least: Bakura was lean but compact, with wiry, whipcord muscles visible under golden skin, something she had been sorely lacking. He wasn't overly muscled, but it was enough to tell her that he'd definitely done some physical work in the past. To be expected, considering his life, and yet it was fascinating at the same time.

Bakura cleared his throat and Ryou blinked, her eyes flying up to his face. When she saw that he'd lifted an eyebrow, she felt her cheeks burning as she hastily turned away. "You can sleep in my father's room tonight if you want," she said, hoping that he couldn't tell how rattled she was. Hoping that it didn't look like she was blatantly checking her yami out, even though she fully suspected it did.

"I'm good," he replied.

"Oh, well, as long as _you_ are," she muttered, pulling her brush through her hair. In the mirror, she watched as he grabbed a pillow and fluffed it before sticking it under his head. It amazed her that he felt comfortable enough to sleep in the same room as her. Was it because he didn't consider her to be a threat? Certainly, she'd never do anything to hurt him and she wondered if he knew that, or if he'd just assumed that she wasn't a threat because he could overpower her. She sighed and set her brush down. "I hope that Yami can think of some way to help Yuugi soon. It's disturbing to think of what Yami Malik might be doing." Ryou shuddered as she stood up. "I'll be glad when I'm at school tomorrow and surrounded by people."

"What?" Bakura looked up at her. "You're not going to school."

"Yes, I am," Ryou said, startled. She turned the light off but left her curtains open, allowing the light of the moon to flow inside. "I have to. I've already missed a few days this week and if I miss much more they're going to start asking questions. They might even try to contact my father and if they push the issue someone might find out I live by myself. I'll get into trouble if that happens." And that would bring her father into the picture, exactly where she didn't want him. For once in her life, she was hoping that the man would stay far away.

"Yami Malik could easily get to you there," he pointed out. "None of those mortals could protect you if he appeared."

"Well, no, but Isis said he'll look for opportunities when we're alone. I won't be alone at school."

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. "And what makes you think that Yami Malik, of all people, would really care about a bunch of children if it came to getting what he wanted? I thought you were more intelligent than that. Clearly, I was wrong."

Stung, she sat down on the edge of the bed and glared at him. "I haven't got a choice, Bakura. I have to go."

"Then I'll come with you."

Oh. Dear. God. "No!" It was bad enough that soon she wouldn't have a choice in having him there. She wanted to spare the school and everyone in it for as long as possible. Ryou shook her head firmly. "No. No way. That is not happening."

"Then you're not going," he replied simply, like there was no point in arguing because he had made up his mind and that was Just The Way It Was. She looked at him for a long moment, torn between disbelief and outright annoyance, before she stood up and stormed out of the room. How had she never noticed that there were times when Bakura acted so much like her father that it was truly frightening if she really stopped to think about it? How dare he think that he could just order her around at will, like what _she_ wanted didn't matter? Regardless of whether or not he was trying to protect her, it wasn't right!

She was so angry that she didn't even notice Malik was coming up the stairs until she barrelled into him at full speed. Malik yelped and just barely managed to grab the railing in time to save himself from being pitched backwards. Ryou grabbed his shoulders and hauled him upright, spilling apologies left and right. "I'm so sorry, Malik. I wasn't watching here I was going. Sorry."

"It's okay," Malik said, balancing himself against the wall. He looked up at her, shorter now that she was standing two steps above him, and frowned. "What's the matter? You look pissed."

"Bakura is being an asshole," Ryou said with a sigh, flipping a few strands of hair out of her face. "I mean, yeah, he might be right, but that doesn't mean he gets to dictate my life. He's not my father. I don't know where the hell he gets off - "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Malik interrupted, holding his hands up. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Ryou."

Ryou sighed again and sat down right where she was, plunking her bottom on the step and wrapping her arms around her knees. After a moment's hesitation, Malik sat down on the step below her, his back pressed against the wall and his feet cushioned against the railing. He could have leaned his head against her knee if he had wanted to, but he was highly aware of the fact that Bakura was in the room just above them and could come out of the room at any moment. He valued his life too highly to waste it on foolish things like that.

"I need to go to school tomorrow is what it boils down to," Ryou told him at last, keeping her voice quiet. "Bakura is concerned that Yami Malik might try something."

"Much as I hate to agree with your yami, that does sound like something he would do."

"But I have to go. I'll get in trouble if I don't. Yuugi and I have already missed a few days. I can't have them looking too deeply into my circumstances." She waved her hand limply. "It's alright for Yuugi. Her grandfather can cover for her. I haven't got that."

Malik considered this for a moment. Then he said, "Maybe Nee-san could help. She can call the school and pose as your, I don't know, step-mother or aunt or something like that."

There was a moment of silence during which Ryou just blinked at him. Why hadn't she thought of that? For that matter, she might not even need Isis to intercede on her behalf: no one at the school was going to recognize her female voice as being that of Bakura Ryou, though granted, she still did sound quite young. It might be better to have Isis make the call after all. Slowly, she smiled. "Thanks, Malik. That would be great."

"No problem." Malik shrugged and sighed. "I wish all of our problems could be so easily fixed."

Sympathetically, Ryou rested a hand on his shoulder. She wasn't surprised to feel the almost imperceptible tremors running through his body. Malik was truly terrified, though he was working hard not to show it. "Well, if we're going to be wishing for things, then I wish that there was some way we could help. I feel so useless just sitting here and I hate that. The Shadow Realm is so vast and it will take days for the duel monsters to track Yuugi down, and that's provided they stay in one place." She nibbled on a fingernail, then clenched her hand into a fist and brought it down on her knee. "I just wish we could_ do_ something!"

Malik turned his face away and looked down the stairs for a long moment. His voice, when it came, was hushed. "Bakura wouldn't let you."

She sat up straight. "But you have an idea?"

"I know what he wants." Malik's shoulders were tense. "I know… how he thinks. Yuugi won't be enough. Sure it means he'll have revenge against Yami but I'm pretty sure that he hates Bakura and me almost as much. He'd never challenge Bakura. Too much of a coward for that. But you…" He glanced up at Ryou. "You're a light, like me. Easy pickings. Bakura is right. He'd come for you, if he had the chance, and he wouldn't think twice about killing people to do it."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"Bait," Malik whispered.

Understanding hit hard. Ryou muffled her gasp with her fingers, eyes wide. Oh. Suddenly, it did make sense. If she and Malik were to offer themselves up, went somewhere that they were alone, Yami Malik would be on them in no time. It would be the perfect opportunity to find Yuugi. "Malik, you're a genius!"

"Ryou, wait," he pleaded, grabbing her legs when she went to stand up. Ryou stumbled, nearly falling over, and ended up sitting down hard. Malik leaned his head against her thigh, pressing his face against the comforting darkness, like he could block out the world by force of will alone. "You don't know what he'll do to you if he actually gets you alone."

"I imagine it's exactly what he's doing to Yuugi," Ryou replied, trying to gently but firmly extract herself from his tight grip. "Malik, I know that you're scared and it's okay. No one expects you to do anything. I'm glad you gave me the idea. I'm more than willing to do it myself."

Malik muttered something under his breath before he turned his head just enough for her to be able to hear him speak. "I know you would but I can't let you. I'll… go with you."

It struck her, then, that Malik had probably been planning this from the moment he'd first heard about Yuugi. He just hadn't dared to do it by on his own. Ryou reached down and ran her hand through his hair. "We'll go together," she said gently, hoping that none of her terror was visible in her voice. Thank god for the shields that would keep Bakura from feeling anything. She suspected that he would try to stop them. So would Isis, out of fear for Malik, and Yami, just because that was the way he was. They would have to do this alone and trust that together they could do something. "It will be alright."

He drew in a shuddering breath and pulled back. Surprisingly, when she thought that he might be crying, he wasn't. His eyes were dry and his mouth was set into a hard, determined line. "Let's go."

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Please review!


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** Everyone thought I'd be so mean with this chapter, haha. Well I hope I surprise you all and prove that sometimes I can be a very nice authoress who doesn't make you wait. Sometimes. Enjoy!

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It was a chilly night; the air was cool enough to make Ryou shiver. She hadn't dared to go back into the bedroom to get dressed again, just in case Bakura would have been able to sense what she was up to just by looking at her face. Instead, she grabbed a sweatshirt and a jacket that belonged to her father out of the hall closet and she and Malik left by the kitchen door, easing it shut so that Isis and Yami wouldn't notice their departure. Then Malik took the jacket and zipped it up while Ryou pulled the sweatshirt on. He looked even colder than she did, she noticed. Apparently he still wasn't fully used to the cold after living most of his life underground in a more moderated climate.

"Where are we going?" she asked quietly, following him instinctively as he took a wide berth around the side of the house. She bit her lip in an effort not to giggle when he tripped over a shovel and nearly fell face first into her neighbour's flower garden. Malik swore quietly in response and kicked at the dirt before he hopped the fence. Ryou climbed up after him. He turned, reaching up to grab her waist, and she rested her hands on his shoulders, allowing him to take the bulk of her weight as she hopped down to the ground.

"I don't know. We need to go somewhere quiet where there won't be anyone around," Malik explained. Now that they were a safe distance away from the house, he was able to speak at normal volume. "You know this area better than I do."

That was true and Ryou took a moment to think. It was a school night but it wasn't all that late. Even though she had been ready for bed, she suspected that most of the kids her age might still be out roaming, and that presented something of a problem. She instantly disregarded most of the popular places to hang out. "There's a park just down the hill," she said slowly. "It's closer to the affluent side of town so not a lot of people go there. It would probably be pretty empty this time of the night."

"Good enough for me." He took her hand and pulled her along, hurrying past the illuminating glare of the streetlights and into the shadows on the other side of the street. Ryou kept up with him easily once she'd paused to tie her sneakers. It was an odd experience to be walking hand-in-hand with Malik down the street. The stars were out and the moon was shining, and she would have almost said that it could have been romantic if it hadn't been for the fact that it was Malik and that they may have been walking to their deaths. She smiled grimly to herself and shook her head, amused at her own thoughts.

"Do you ever think about what you might like to do now that the Millennium Items are gone?" she asked.

Malik looked at her, startled by the sudden question. "No, not really. I guess for a long time I wasn't really convinced that they were gone. Nee-san, Nii-san and I were just starting to adjust when this happened." His grip tightened slightly. "Sometimes I feel like I won't even get out from under their shadow. Not completely, anyway."

Her heart went out to him. "I'm sure you will, Malik. Someday we'll look back and this will all seem like a nightmare."

"If this is just a nightmare, remind me not to fall asleep," he muttered under his breath.

Ryou sighed and didn't say anything else. They walked along in silence until it was abruptly broken by a thin jangling sound. Malik cursed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He showed her the screen and she winced when she saw that it was Isis. Moments later, her phone started to ring, too, and when she looked at the screen she saw that the call had been issued from her house. It wasn't hard to guess that their absence had bee noticed. She was ready for it this time when Malik broke into a run, and she was able to keep up with him easily, matching him stride for stride.

"How far away is this park?" he panted.

"Just - there!" She pointed, indicating the little alley between two houses, one that most people who were unfamiliar with the area would just walk right by. Malik turned sharply, dragging her along, and followed the alley until it opened up into a little park, just as Ryou had said it would. There wasn't much, just a set of swings and an old jungle gym that had seen better days, but there were no children around and it would do.

Waiting was the hardest part. Yami Malik would have to notice that they were alone and come for them. Ryou sat down on one of the swings and waited tensely, her heart pounding and not just from the run. It was a few minutes before she noticed that the temperature was gradually getting colder. The flesh on the palms of her hands was sticking to the metal chains that held the swing up and it stung when she whipped her hands away. Malik took a step towards her, eyes wide, watching the edge of the park. Ryou followed his gaze and realized that the world seemed to be _blurring_, for lack of a better word. Panic began to well up inside of her and she stood up.

"He's here," Malik whispered, grabbing her hand again. Ryou squeezed it tightly, though she wasn't sure if it was for Malik's benefit or hers. Purple-gray-black clouds were beginning to form around them, and within the clouds she could just barely make out a shadowy figure. The features were indistinguishable at first, but slowly it began to solidify, forming into cold dark eyes and wild hair.

"Foolish humans." Yami Malik's voice echoed strangely as he spoke. Ryou had to strain to hear him, as it sounded like he was speaking from a long distance away. "Did you really think I wouldn't be prepared for you to pull such a simple plan? Did you think you could outwit someone like me?" A sneer crossed his face. "You're even stupider than I thought. I shall truly enjoy getting my revenge on both of you. Perhaps I'll begin by letting you watch, if only so that you know exactly what's coming."

"Oh my god!" Ryou exclaimed, suddenly spotting the second figure that had appeared without their notice. Yami Malik certainly knew how to steal most, if not all, of the attention in a room. Yuugi was slumped on the ground, her face tilted away from them. Blood had stained most of her clothing an ugly rust color and her hands were smeared with even more of it. She couldn't even tell if Yuugi was still breathing and that scared her the most. Unthinkingly, she took a step forward, then froze. When Yami Malik didn't react, she rushed over to Yuugi and fell to her knees, immediately laying her hand on Yuugi's chest. The relief that flooded through her when the warm flesh moved minutely was so strong it made her dizzy.

"She's alright?" Malik asked without taking his eyes off of his yami.

"She's breathing," Ryou answered, not entirely sure that "alright" was the word to use. This close, she had a much better view of the damage that had been done and it was turning her stomach. She spotted a deep wound just under Yuugi's ribs before she forced her eyes away.

"Right. Ryou, get her out of here."

That was so unexpected that for a moment Ryou just blinked, stunned. "What?"

"Go!" Malik shouted.

"I don't think so," Yami Malik said at the same time. Dark magic flared around him and Malik yelped as a line of blood appeared at his right shoulder. He staggered, clutching weakly at the wound, and Yami Malik spun around to face Ryou. She shrank back, automatically spreading her arms protectively in front of Yuugi. He smirked and made a motion with his hand, and _oh it hurt_, a thin stripe of blazing pain opening up on her right thigh, like someone had set that one little area on fire.

"Stop it! Ryou, run!" Malik had recovered and he was doing - something, something that was making Yami Malik grasp at his head and yell in pain. "Ryou!"

Ryou snapped into action automatically, reaching down and grabbing Yuugi's shoulders. It was awkward at best; she wasn't all that taller than Yuugi and she really didn't have the upper body strength necessary to carry an additional ninety pounds. But as it turned out, it didn't matter. The air next to her twisted and _changed_, and then there was a dull explosion that made her ears throb. Yami and Bakura burst into the park, followed quickly by Rishid and Isis. Rishid took one look at what was going on and sprinted over to Malik. Isis shot her brothers an anguished look but knelt, skilfully scooping Yuugi up into her arms with Ryou's help.

"Come on," she said sternly in a tone that allowed for no argument. Ryou gave in, following Isis back through the hole that had been created after casting one last look back at Bakura. Yami Malik was shouting something behind them but the words were lost to the haze of the Shadow Realm. The shock of the cold night air jolted Ryou and she shivered, rubbing her hands briskly over her arms as Isis walked hastily over to… a limo that was idling by the curb?

"Are you kidding me?" she breathed.

"Ryou!" Isis snapped, placing Yuugi inside the car. "Come on."

Shaking her head, Ryou ran to the car and got in. It was empty aside from the driver. Isis slammed the door and the limo took off immediately, driving at a speed that was most definitely not legal. Ryou stared blankly out the window and wondered if she should be surprised when the car pulled up in front of the Kaiba mansion less than fifteen minutes later. The driver leapt out and hurried around, pulling the door open and picking Yuugi up, leaving Ryou to climb out on her own and follow.

The front door was unlocked and he walked straight inside, depositing Yuugi on one of the couches in the front room before disappearing upstairs. There was no one else around. Ryou shivered again and couldn't stop. Her legs felt oddly weak under her, the wound on her thigh burning, and she sank down onto the couch beside Yuugi, who was awake, though not really lucid. When their arms brushed, Ryou could feel how frigid her friend's skin was, like she'd been out in zero degree weather for hours.

Warm, Ryou thought desperately, forcing her legs to move. She stood up and grabbed Yuugi, pulling her up as well. Surprisingly, Yuugi obeyed, though the glossy look didn't fade from her eyes. The two of them climbed the stairs and Ryou opened doors at random until she found a bathroom - it didn't matter whose. She drew Yuugi inside and locked the door. Her hands were shaking when she reached out and turned the faucet on, making the water as hot as she could stand it, which probably wasn't very hot at all judging by how cold she felt, almost numb. She placed her hands on Yuugi's shoulders and pushed her forward, gently guiding her into the bath. Yuugi obediently stepped over the rim and then just stood there, staring blankly forward.

It took more than Ryou had to keep herself from crying. Hot tears welled up in her eyes as she climbed into the bath herself, not even bothering to take her clothes off. She sat down and pulled Yuugi down with her, huddling against her as the hot liquid cradled them both. The water quickly turned a pale, reddish pink color from the blood. Ryou pulled the plug and then turned the faucet on again, kept it on in the hopes that the water around them would eventually flow clean. At some point, Yuugi started to shake, and then she started to cry. Ryou just sat there and held her, their tears mixing with the bloody water.

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Please review!


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** All I can say is, after the crazy weekend I've just had you can consider yourselves fortunate to be getting a chapter today. My sister got married and I've been flat out since Friday. This chapter is from Bakura's POV and I hope it's alright because I still find his voice difficult to write. It's a hard balance for me to achieve so I'm crossing my fingers I didn't screw it up too much. Enjoy.

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Bakura was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling when he realized that Ryou was gone. He'd been thinking about how it was strange, for lack of a better word, to be back in the real world. The last time he had been there it had been as a trespasser in Ryou's body, and he'd never realized how different it would be to have his own body. Time had managed to blur those memories so that he hadn't noticed the difference. Now, for the first time, he understood how disconnected he'd been before. Compared with the vivid richness of touching and experiencing things now, being in Ryou's body had been like having a thin barrier between him and everything he wanted to touch or taste. It wasn't really living. This... he rolled over onto his side and stared absently at the dresser and the brush his hikari had abandoned. This was living.

The house slowly grew silent, broken only by the low murmur of voices downstairs, and Bakura frowned slightly. Quiet was good, but the kind of silence he was hearing generally spoke of Bad Things. Fervently hoping that Ryou hadn't chosen to do something stupid, he got off of the bed and eased the door open before moving out into the hall, ears cocked for anything that might give him a hint as to where his partner might have gone. There was no sign of Ryou, or Malik, for that matter, and the sense that something wasn't right grew stronger. He went down the stairs and into the living room. Yami and Isis looked up at him, startled, but Bakura ignored both of them as he rushed into the kitchen. Empty.

"Those little fuckers," he swore, slamming a fist into the nearest surface. There was no doubt in his mind that Ryou and Malik had gone, or, more importantly, _where_ they had gone.

"What's wrong?" Yami was standing in the doorway, and as soon as the question was out and Bakura swung around to face him, he knew what the answer was. His heart sank and he spun to look at Isis. "They're gone. Malik and Ryou are gone."

Isis's face turned white. "They must have gone to confront Yami Malik," she said in disbelief. "Oh my Ra... He'll destroy them."

"Call him," Bakura snarled, snatching the phone off of the counter. He'd watched Ryou use it a handful of times, had been in his host's body while Ryou was operating it plenty of times, but being faced with using it himself was... complicated. The numbers swarmed before him in a dizzying blur before a tanned hand gently reached out and took the phone from him. Without a word, Yami dialed a number and held it to his ear. After a moment he shook his head grimly and pressed a button to switch it off.

"No answer," he said grimly.

"Malik didn't, either," said Isis, pulling her cell phone away from her ear. "We have to find them. Can you trace them?" She was looking at Bakura, carefully avoiding Yami.

He turned away. "I'll have to."

Isis dialed another number and put her phone back to her ear. Bakura ignored her as he walked over to the window, staring through it up at the full moon. He could feel Ryou at the back of his head, even though his partner was heavily shielded in more barriers than either of them knew what to do with. Though the connection between them wasn't at its best, he could still sense what direction Ryou had gone in, like there was an invisible cord stretching between them. Silently, he opened the door and walked out into the cool night air. A cold breeze whipping his hair around his shoulders as he moved across the yard to the fence and hopped it with an easy grace that had taken years to cultivate.

"Bakura." Yami leapt down beside him a moment later. The pharaoh looked concerned but he seemed to know better than to reach out and stop Bakura physically. "You have to wait for us."

"This is your fault," Bakura growled, glaring at the other man. "If you had kept your light close like you were supposed to, mine would still be here!"

Yami's eyes widened slightly. "Bakura, are you actually worried?" he asked incredulously.

Bakura hissed in response as someone else landed beside them. It was Isis and she was still holding her cell phone. "Let's go," she said briskly before either of them could speak. "I have someone who can help on standby but we've got to move now. The longer Ryou and Malik are out on their own, the more risk there will be that something's going to happen to them."

"You have _who_ on standby?" Yami said suspiciously.

Not waiting to hear the response, Bakura set off at an easy lope, following the connection between him and Ryou. Within a matter of minutes, there was no need to: anyone with even a scrap of shadow magic would have felt the appearance of the Shadow Realm. It was like a blot of ink against otherwise stark white paper; it called to them, announcing the presence of darkness that would gleefully swallow the nearest light and make it impossible to resist or ignore. He picked up the pace immediately, sprinting down the sidewalk. Yami caught up to him within seconds, both of them moving as quickly as they could down the hill. By the time they reached the bottom, they could see it: a dark, swirling mass of clouds.

"I'll break through," Yami said, throwing out a cautionary hand. "You'll need your strength, Bakura, just in case." He was turning away before Bakura could respond, throwing up a hand. The clouds shifted and roiled and Yami's jaw clenched, crimson eyes narrowing, flashing a brilliant ruby color with raw magic. A hole formed in the middle of the clouds and grew slowly. Both of them launched themselves forward, using their hands to hasten the creation of the entrance.

Yami Malik's laughter was the first thing they heard. Bakura distantly registered the screeching of tires from somewhere behind them but he paid no mind to anything or anyone except for Yami Malik. Malik was facing down his psychotic other half, but he was clearly fighting a losing battle. Sensing a weakness, Yami Malik started to lunge forward. Bakura growled and leapt towards him, blocking off that path. At the same time, he reached out, calling upon a handful of his favorite duel monsters. They responded eagerly to his summons and Yami Malik stumbled backwards, caught between Yami and Bakura as Malik was ushered away by Rishid. Surprisingly, Yami Malik didn't seem to care about his light: he looked at the two of them and sneered, face set into a hateful mask.

"I suppose you think you've won," he said, sounding oddly gleeful considering the circumstances.

"You can't beat both of us," said Yami. The fingers of his right hand twitched and Bakura knew he was summoning the Dark Magician. "Your time here is finished, Yami Malik. I thought that banishment to the shadows would be enough to deal with you but apparently not even_ that_ is enough to make you learn your lesson."

"That's a pharaoh for you," Yami Malik muttered, smirking. "It's always about a lesson with you, Pharaoh, just never about what _you_ could learn." He swung around to face Yami, though he didn't turn his back to Bakura. "Did you never wonder why you were able to return?" he asked tauntingly. "Did it not strike you odd that it would happen _now_, of all the times? That your duel monsters would have magically garnered the ability to get to your lights, even though both of you were in the afterlife and therefore it should have been impossible?"

"Did you have something to do with it?" Bakura demanded.

Yami Malik threw his head back and gave a maniacal chuckle. "Oh, poor little pharaoh and thief king," he mocked. "Both of you claim to be so intelligent and yet you never even realized that all along you've been playing right into my plans. And now that you know, it's just too late." A dark wave of energy began gathering around him, nearly blurring his form completely.

"What are you planning?" Yami yelled, eyes sweeping the shadows for any sign of his duel monsters. "I'm warning you, Yami Malik. Don't come near our lights or you'll pay the consequences."

"Your warnings ring empty, Pharaoh. There is nothing you can do to me that has not already been done. Soon I'll have my revenge and there will be nothing you can do about it." Yami Malik's eyes began to glow a piercing shade of lavender. The color burned and Bakura had to look away, a hand rising to cover his own eyes, but even when he was turned away he could still see it. Pain began to throb in his temples in succession with the pounding of his heart and he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out, his legs growing weak. It took everything he had to keep from falling to his knees. As it was, his tenuous grip on the connections to his duel monsters frayed and he felt them slipping away as the Shadow Realm dissipated like smoke around them, leaving Yami and Bakura alone in the desolate little park, with no sign that Yami Malik had ever been there.

"He's gone," Yami said, sounding stunned.

Bakura risked a look up at the other man. Yami's eyes were open, but the expression on his face said that he was seeing about as well as Bakura was. Bright spots of lavender kept flashing in front of his vision, making it difficult to know just what was going on. He huffed and stood up – when had he fallen to one knee? – and crossed his arms. "He won't be coming back tonight," he said. Whatever Yami Malik had been planning, they had played right into it, and the knowledge of that fact grated.

"No." Yami looked troubled. "We should go, Bakura. Yuugi and Ryou may not be safe."

Grunting an agreement, Bakura turned and walked slowly towards the exit of the park. His body felt oddly weak and his legs trembled as he moved, though he would never have admitted the weakness to anyone, much less Yami. Sweat was rolling down his face by the time he made it out through the alley and back onto the street. Isis, Malik and Rishid were there waiting for them, along with a long car that was idling by the curb. When Isis saw them, she clasped a hand over her heart and breathed out a sigh of relief. Yami shot her a weary smile as he came to stand beside Bakura, their shoulders brushing.

"You are well?" Isis asked, her eyes darting over them.

"As can be," Yami replied. "Where are Yuugi and Ryou?"

"I called Kaiba," Isis answered, seemingly unaffected by the way Yami stiffened at that bit of information. "It was for the best, my pharaoh. Kaiba is one of the few who still possesses shadow magic regardless of whether or not he is fully trained in the use of it. He was the only person I could think of that might cause Yami Malik to think twice before striking again."

Yami sighed. "No, you did well. I'm surprised he was willing to help you, though."

Isis merely smiled. "I did not give him the choice. Now, we should hurry. Even Kaiba may not be enough to keep Yami Malik away from your lights."

**INC**

Seto's water bill was going to be enormous. By the time the quiet knock came upon the door, Ryou and Yuugi had been in there for a good couple of hours. At some point, Yuugi had sunk back into her stupor and Ryou had gathered herself enough to be able to remove the tattered remains of their clothing and bandages, leaving both of them in just their underwear. For the first time, she thought she could understand the value in wearing a bra as the door swung open, revealing Bakura, who was tucking a set of lock picks back into his pocket. Yami was standing right behind him. Ryou stared at them both silently, distantly registering that she was half-naked and probably should've been doing something about it. Instead, she just sat there and watched.

Yami moved first, easing his way past Bakura into the room, moving slowly like the two lights were frightened deer that would take off at the first sign of provocation. Ryou blinked up at him and didn't say a word as he paused in front of the tub. "May I?" he asked at last, and his voice was soft and gentle. It took her a second to understand what he wanted. Finally, her arms dropped away from Yuugi, leaving Yami free to reach down and scoop the smaller girl up into his arms. Yuugi's skin was wet and slippery but Yami seemed to have no trouble getting a good grip on her. "Thank you, Ryou," he added before turning around and walking out.

Ryou watched them go. A shadow fell over her and she looked up. Bakura had entered the room without her notice and was standing close to the tub, gazing at her intently. What he saw in her face, in her eyes, she didn't know, but after what felt like hours he slowly reached out a hand and waited. Though she glanced at his hand, she didn't move for a long time. Finally, she lifted her own badly shaking hand and reached out, sliding it into Bakura's. His fingers closed firmly around hers and then he pulled, tugging her to her feet and then over the side of the tub, until she was standing on the cold tiles and shivering. He kept holding her hand as he grabbed a towel and swung it around her head and shoulders.

"Come on," he said, the only words he'd spoken since entering the room.

She followed.

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Please review!


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** Thanks for sticking with me guys. This past week has been such a nightmare in terms of writing; I'm having a hard time to catch up with myself. I never knew that a wedding could take so much out of you! I'm hideously behind on like everything and it's driving me mad. In spite of my best efforts I'm still not entirely pleased with this chapter, but it's one of those 'I've looked at it so many times I've lost sight of what might be wrong' situations. Ugh. Enjoy, I hope.

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The mansion was quiet by the time that Yami carefully carried his burden through the halls. He knew exactly where he was going, having been shown to a guest room by Mokuba shortly before he and Bakura had tracked their errant other halfs to where they'd been barricaded inside of the bathroom, and much as he hated staying the night in the Kaiba mansion, he knew that it was ultimately safer than trying to return to Ryou's. So far the presence of other people had worked to keep Yami Malik away, and besides, the room itself was fairly large and decorated quite plainly but fashionably in shades of crimson, gold and white, with a large king-sized bed smack in the middle. Better still, there was a hardy lock on the door, and he made use of it before moving over to the bed.

Yuugi fussed as she was placed on the cotton sheets, her head lolling back as she murmured something unintelligible under her breath. Yami soothed her with a gentle brush of his fingers to her forehead, and he was pleased to see that she settled back into a deeper sleep. She was still half naked, her skin spotted with drops of cooling water, and he un-buttoned the shirt that Ryou had given him to cover her. It was impossible to avoid looking and, even though he knew he shouldn't, he couldn't resist giving her a cursory examination as he pulled the shirt off. She was a little smaller now, her body still well proportioned, though her hands and feet were more delicate. Her breasts were rounded and firm, her shoulders slender, lacking the broadness that had given her a little more definition when she was still a he. With her hair falling limply around her face, he couldn't help thinking that she was stunningly beautiful. It was the kind of thought that he knew he was not supposed to be having and he banished it as he slipped her hands through the sleeves, drawing it around her shoulders and fastening just enough buttons to give her a sense of modesty. Yuugi could be funny about things like that.

That done, he sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed, running a hand through his hair. The burst of adrenaline racing through his body had finally drained away, leaving him tired and worried. Yami Malik's taunting words danced through his head, leaving him feeling unsettled. He reached out and gently brushed a golden bang out of Yuugi's face, allowing his fingers to linger on her soft cheek. There had been a time, not so very long ago, when the only thing that he had known was Yuugi and protecting him... her. Nothing else had mattered; that was all Yami had cared about. Much as he relished the fact that he now remembered where he came from, there was a part of him that missed those days; it had been easier when Yuugi was the only thing he had to worry about.

Yuugi shifted restlessly under his touch, causing the edge of the shirt to slide open. His eyes landed on the ugly wound just beneath her ribs and he had to swallow the fury that raged through him. The desire to track Yami Malik down and kill him slowly and painfully was nearly all-consuming. Instead, he stood up and went into the bathroom, searching for supplies. Seto, at least, kept a well-stocked First Aid kit underneath the bathroom sink and he took advantage, using what he recalled of Yuugi's memories to patch his little one up, using gauze and a little tube of anti-bacterial ointment liberally. Yuugi stirred as he was tending to a smaller gash on her foot and her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him blankly with no sign of recognition in her eyes and for a moment his heart nearly stopped. The tube slipped from his fingers, landing on the bed, and unwillingly he imagined, for a split second, a world where Yuugi had no idea who he was. It was enough to steal his breath until Yuugi's lips parted and she spoke.

"Mou hitori no boku?"

Thank the gods. Relief spilled through him and he breathed, scooting closer, reaching out to take her chin with gentle fingers. For the first time, he noticed the band around her neck. Renewed rage flooded through him and he clenched his other hand into a fist, though his voice remained gentle. "I'm here, Aibou."

Yuugi sighed and nuzzled into the touch. "I thought I'd never see you again," she mumbled. "Yami Malik said he hoped you would come but I thought you might be angry enough that you would stay away." She sounded sleepy.

"I will always come for you," Yami replied simply. The truth of that statement caused a hard knot of tension that had been building in his chest to unwind. From the moment that they had met, his life had been about Yuugi. And towards the end, when he'd become focused on other things, both of them had become increasingly miserable. Yami let out a shuddering sigh and moved closer still, stretching out next to her so that their faces were inches apart. He could've reached out and kissed her and so he did, almost as soon as the thought had crossed his mind. A gentle brush of lips against her forehead, a touch that was achingly sweet and yet left him feeling oddly unfulfilled. Yuugi, however, smiled.

"You're not angry with me?"

"No, my little one, I'm not angry with you. I'm angry with myself for making unwise decisions and making you doubt that you are as precious to me as you are," he replied honestly. "You're the most important thing in my life, Yuugi. You always have been, ever since the day that you set me free from the Puzzle. Somehow I forgot about that and it made us both unhappy. I'm sorry that I left you. I was so concerned about making everyone else happy that I forgot my first duty should always be to you, my light: my partner. I was miserable in the afterlife without you. I hope you can forgive me, someday."

A ghost of a smile drifted across her lips and she let out a happy hum as she squirmed closer, tucking her head into the curve of his neck. "Will you hold me?" she asked.

Immediately, his arms tightened around her. "I'm here," he repeated. "I'm not going anywhere."

Gradually, her body relaxed, sliding into true sleep instead of the state of unconsciousness that she'd been in before. Her breath gusted gently across his cheek, giving a constant affirmation that she was there with him. Yami closed his eyes and rested his cheek upon her hair, remembering the endless days of the afterlife, when he'd thought about Yuugi nearly constantly. Life had been gray and dull, shadowy, without Yuugi's presence. Somewhere along the line she had truly become his light and he didn't know what he would do without her. He'd made the mistake of thinking, once, that his duties as a Pharaoh were more important than anything else; he'd started to believe that because Yuugi had grown up she no longer had a need for him. He vowed to himself that he would never make the same mistake again.

His hand had been absently stroking her back and, as his fingers trailed higher, he found the band for a second time. Shadow magic seeped off of it and he frowned, concerned. Obviously it was Yami Malik's doing and he judged that he'd likely found the reason for the missing connection between the two of them. He'd never felt anything like it; the barrier between them was firm, yet slippery, like an oily sludge. Yami shifted, wanting to get a closer look at the band, but Yuugi let out a low whine and curled closer, preventing him from moving. He sighed briefly, an indulgent look crossing his face, before he settled in for the night. First thing in the morning that band would be coming off, but in the meantime, he was content to be still and hold onto that which he thought he had lost.

**INC**

Bakura led her up another flight of stairs and into a room that Ryou didn't recognize. She sat down on the bed and wrapped the towel around her shoulders, shivering a little. It wasn't cold in the room - actually the heat was on so it was quite warm - but her body felt chilled. She watched Bakura move around the room, not doing anything in particular, but with a cadence to his shoulders that said he was restless. Ryou closed her eyes and pulled the towel over her head. "You're angry with me."

He made a scoffing sound. "That would imply I care about what you do."

She smiled into the darkness of the towel, feeling surprisingly clear in spite of everything that had gone on. Yuugi and Yami, she thought, were rather at a disadvantage this time around. They had a past to work through and the trials and troubles of their prior relationship were clinging to the new one, making things muddy and complicated. She and Bakura weren't like that. He'd hated her at one time, even though he'd needed her. It was possible that he still hated her now, though she didn't think that was the case. She certainly didn't hate him, though she didn't love him, or at least she didn't think she did. That was enough.

"I wanted you back because I didn't want to be alone," she said.

There was a long pause and then his footsteps crossed the room. He reached out and pulled the edge of the towel up. Their eyes met. Ryou moved first, launching herself forward and finding his mouth with hers. It wasn't a very good kiss; Bakura, for possibly the first time that she could remember, was too shocked to respond, and she was too inexperienced to really know what she was doing. But it did the job and she had a few seconds of blissful contact before his hands found her hips and he yanked her away. His eyes were wide.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't want to be alone."

"Like that?" he said, and an eyebrow rose.

Ryou looked at him steadily. "I'm cold." There was a lot more between them: things that she wouldn't dare say. Things like, _I missed you_. And _I want to be with you_. And _I'm scared, I want you to stay with me_, and _I think this is how you'll stay_. "Would you prefer I found someone else?"

Something dark flickered in his face and without saying another word, he pulled her forward, taking control of the kiss. Ryou submitted to him without a fight, allowing him to take what he wanted, accepting what he gave in return, and didn't protest when he pushed her back down on the bed and climbed on top of her. The towel and her underwear were thrown aside, forgotten, along with the rest of his clothing, and she discovered that though it had probably been years since Bakura had gotten more physical with someone than a punch to the face, he still knew how to make her back arch with a pleasing little cry.

And when it was over, she curled up with his chest to her back, legs closely entangled, his hands possessively gripping her hip and her right breast, and fell asleep with a smile on her face.

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Please review!


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone. A couple of people mentioned that they were a little surprised that Ryou's and Bakura's relationship progressed as quickly as it did. That will be covered in the next chapter but I felt that it was time for some puzzleshipping. It feels like it's been far too long since there was some of that! Enjoy.

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Even before she was fully awake, Yuugi knew that she was no longer with Yami Malik. The world around her was warm, and there were arms wrapped tightly around her body, one hand on her hip and the other pressed against the small of her back. She was curled up against a body that was definitely male, her head tucked underneath a chin, and she could feel the rhythmic movement of a firm chest beneath her cheek. It was oddly comforting. And as her senses became more aware, as she opened her eyes and took a deep breath, familiar smells flooded her nose and she exhaled slowly, realizing that she knew exactly who she was with. Tension that she hadn't even realized was forming drained away and she relaxed, tilting her head back to look up at him.

Yami hadn't woken: his head was resting the pillow, lips slightly parted. He was clearly sleeping deeply because he didn't even stir when she moved her right hand away from where it had been curled against his bare stomach. He was wearing a pair of boxer shorts and nothing else. Yuugi shifted and realized, somewhat belatedly, that she was only wearing a pair of panties and a shirt that had likely been buttoned at one point, but which had come unfastened during the night, leaving her breasts in full view. She pulled the shirt across her chest half-heartedly and sighed, closing her eyes. Obviously the secret was out: there was no way that Yami could have failed to notice something so evident. The real question was, how had he taken it?

She looked up at him, considering, and then reached out and shook his shoulder. "Yami. Mou hitori no boku, wake up," she said, no longer bothering to try and pitch her voice lower.

The hand on her hip tightened and Yami sighed, his mouth closing as his eyes fluttered open. "Aibou?" he mumbled, sounding like he was still half-asleep. It was adorable and Yuugi had to fight back a smile. She could see the moment when his mind registered what was going on. He stiffened and his head snapped up, eyes sweeping over the room like he was making sure that the space had remained safe during their sleep. She waited patiently until he looked back down at her.

"You rescued me?" she asked. The events of the night before were a complete blur, though she vaguely remembered being with Ryou and then being with Yami. What she remembered most strongly, though, was the feeling of safety that had cut through Yami Malik's special brand of terror like a steel knife.

"Ryou and Malik decided to use themselves as bait to draw him out," Yami answered. His hand was still tight on her bare hip to keep her still, the curve of his other arm keeping her close. It was a possessive position and she decided she liked it. "Bakura and I followed them and while we fought with Yami Malik, Ryou and Isis got you out of there. Are you alright? He didn't...?" His voice trailed off, leaving the question open. There were a hundred different things that he could have been asking but Yuugi was pretty sure that she knew which one he was referring to.

"I'm fine, really," she said gently. "Yami Malik didn't touch me. Literally. Everything he did was with shadow magic." She moved her free hand down to her tummy, investigating the spot that had burned like fire for long after Yami Malik had wounded her. Her fingers encountered bandages and she sighed in relief. "Thank you for coming to get me, Yami."

"Always," he said immediately, worry still visible in his face. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes." Well, as okay as it was possible to be after being kidnapped by a psychopath. Yuugi shivered and pressed her face to the gentle slope where his shoulder and neck met. "You know."

It took him a moment to catch on. "About...? Yes. Ryou told me."

Yuugi supposed she should have guessed that might happen. Good old Ryou, always stepping up to the plate, making sure that Yami wouldn't have a heart attack when he realized what had happened to his partner. The news really should have come from Yuugi but thank god it didn't have to. "Were..._ are_ you angry?"

"The only person I'm angry at is me," Yami murmured, his lips brushing against the top of her head in a brief kiss. "I don't like that you had to make that sacrifice for me. It's not right. I should have known better. I shouldn't have left you in the first place."

"You did what you thought was right," she said, but the truth was that his words were unravelling a cold knot that had been present in her chest for months now.

"Then I have to start thinking better. When I knew where I came from, I started believing that I had to be that Pharaoh, that the thing that mattered most was my people. It took me a long time to understand that I'm not him, not entirely, and there are more important things to _me_. You have been, are, and always will be the one I need to care about most. You're my partner, Yuugi, and I need you to be happy. I was... miserable in the afterlife without you. I was relieved when I returned and saw you waiting for me. I want to be sorry that you have to go through this, but if it means I can be here with you..." He trailed off.

There was so much raw emotion in that deluge of words that Yuugi had to take a moment to sort it out. She bit her lip to hold back the resulting smile that wanted to break free and took a slow breath. "I was angry at you because you left me," she confessed. "But I still understood that you felt you had to, that you were trying to do what you thought was best. I'm... selfish... in that I want to be the person you think of the most, even though I know that there might be other people who need you more."

"No one needs me more than you do," Yami said, his thumb stroking her cheek. He paused briefly as his own words registered and then he made a face. "Hang on, that didn't come out right."

She was laughing and oh, it felt good. "No, I don't think it did, but I know what you mean. I _do_ need you, Yami, probably more than you realize. I could've gone on without you and maybe someday I would've been alright, but… but I was so happy when you returned. Even if it meant being like this." She waved an idle hand at her body. Yami looked down at her and his expression turned serious.

"Yuugi... Aibou, is this why your mother left you?"

The amusement left her in a cold rush. She hadn't been expecting that. "Yami..."

"It is, isn't it?" He shook his head slowly, fury sparking his eyes. "That woman..."

"Don't," Yuugi said, lifting her hand and placing it atop his. "Don't. It was her choice and if she honestly felt that she couldn't be around you, me, us, then I'm glad that she left." It hurt to say it, but it was the honest truth, and after everything she knew that Yami deserved to hear it. "I didn't want to tell you because I knew you would feel guilty. But I don't want you to feel that way because it's not your fault. This is a choice I made and I have to deal with the consequences. Dark Magician Girl offered me the chance to go back and there's a good chance my mother probably would've returned if she knew that I had gone back to being a boy. But why should I give up something that makes me happy just for her?"

Yami smiled. It was a painful look. "Aibou, it's your mother. I know you love her."

"I love you more," Yuugi said quietly, meeting his eyes with a degree of honesty that was almost frightening in its sincerity. She'd never said the words to Yami, even though it had lingered between them since before he'd gone. It would've been impossible for anything else to exist between them, they who had shared a body, who had fought the temptation to blend, to become one, and separated only to end up here. What _kind _of love it was, was a question she had never dared to ask: it was just there and that was all she had ever needed until Yami left and she started to doubt whether it had ever existed in the first place.

He cupped her cheek and tilted her head up like he could still hear her thoughts. "I love you too. Don't ever doubt that."

"I won't anymore," she promised. The absence of their link was a painful emptiness in the back of her head, impossible to ignore now that she wished she could feel the warmth of his affection instead of imagining it. She lifted a hand and traced the dull edge of the collar around her neck. It pressed against her throat every time she swallowed, a stark reminder. "Can you…?"

"Let me see." He propped himself up on his arm, removing his hand from her hip, and prodded at the band, feeling for a seam. There was nothing and he frowned. "How did he get it on?"

"I don't know. He came at me from behind and it was just… there."

"There's shadow magic inside of it," he muttered absently, closing his eyes. Yuugi felt the thin shiver of magic he was pressing into it and tensed, stealing herself against the instinctive urge to run away. This was Yami's magic, shadow though it may be, and gradually she was able to relax under the tickling sensation. Yami pressed harder when she was at ease, flooding the band with his own magic, but nothing happened. It was as though the band was a deep well, and, no matter how much magic Yami poured into it, it could never be filled. She pushed him away when she realized that his face was going pale behind his tan. Beads of sweat were rolling down his face and the lines around his mouth had deepened with fatigue.

"Enough," she said, worried. "Don't hurt yourself over it."

"I've never sensed anything like this before." Yami was concerned, she didn't need their bond to know that much. "I might have to risk summoning Dark Magician so that he can examine it."

A frisson of fear shot through her at the thought of the Shadow Realm being opened for even a few seconds. It must have shown on her face because Yami pulled her into a tight embrace, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down her spine. "Don't worry," he said into her ear. "I promise that I'll be right beside you this time. I won't let him take you again, I swear."

Yuugi took a shuddering breath and then nodded. "I guess we should get up," she said. For the first time, she noticed that they were in a room she didn't recognize. It was a good change of subject and she seized it gratefully. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Kaiba's."

"Seto's _mansion_?" Yuugi's mouth dropped open.

"Isis felt that Bakura and I might not be able to keep Yami Malik away, considered that we were so distracted last night." Yami rolled off of the bed and stood up with a grace she had always envied. "Kaiba has shadow magic, and even if he doesn't fully know how to use it, he knows enough to make Yami Malik cautious about challenging him. I'm not sure how she got him to agree to let us stay here, though. I thought that Kaiba still hated us." He looked doubtfully at Yuugi.

She smothered a grin and shrugged. "No ideas," she lied, happily imagining Mokuba and Isis ganging up on Seto. Between the two of them, Seto had likely agreed just to shut them up and get some peace. "Thank you for agreeing to stay here. I know it must bother you."

"I'd have been willing to do far more to make sure you were safe," Yami said. "I wasn't there for you last time, Yuugi. I won't make that mistake a second time."

Sitting up, she tucked the shirt more thoroughly around her thighs and smiled a little as she watched him move around the room and open the closet to examine the clothing inside. Leaving the room, leaving this sanctuary that Yami had created with a closed and locked door, a warm bed, and a barrier along the walls, ceiling and floors, was not something that she was looking forward to. Yet if she could do it with Yami at her side, secure in the knowledge that even if things weren't entirely right between them yet they were well on their way, perhaps it would be bearable.

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Please review!


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:** Firstly, I'd like to say that I'm amazed this story has become so popular. Saying that you guys rock seems so inadequate when it comes to expressing my thanks for your enthusiasm. From now on (now that Yuugi and Yami are finally starting to get it together) I'm going to try to keep the story a fair mix of puzzleshipping and tendershipping. Enjoy!

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For a moment, Yuugi thought she might be hallucinating. But no, a quick glance at Yami's surprised expression told her that he was seeing the same thing that she was. Jou, Anzu and Honda were actually all sitting at the Kaiba's kitchen table with Mokuba, who was in the process of showing Jou some of his duel monster cards. Malik was also present, sitting at a respectable distance from the others and conversing with Anzu, though neither of them appeared to be pleased by this development. Honda was listening to this with the beginnings of an amused smirk tugging at his lips. All of them looked up when Yuugi and Yami walked in.

"Yuugi! You're alright!" Anzu leapt up and strode over to the two of them quickly, reaching out for a hug. Yuugi winced at the sudden movement and couldn't keep herself from stiffening as Anzu's arms wound around her shoulders in slow motion, drawing her firmly against feminine curves. Normally the embrace would've been welcomed, but not this time. Something cold slithered through her veins, the sensation of being touched by a foreign body _too much_, and she wrenched away, nearly tripping over her own two feet. Only Yami's hand on her shoulder kept her from falling. The sound of her breathing was abruptly loud and panicked in her ears, and Anzu looked bewildered, holding her hands up in front of her.

"Yuugi?" Jou asked, his voice carefully neutral. He stood up. "Are you okay?"

"I..." Words failed her and she didn't know what to say, didn't know how to explain when she didn't really understand it herself. It was just too much; something inside of her rebelled at the thought of being touched by anyone except Yami, like somehow all of her senses had gotten rewired or crossed while she'd been in the Shadow Realm. Yuugi clenched hands that shook into fists and realized that her whole body was trembling. That's when Yami stepped up next to her and his arm slipped fully around her shoulders, drawing her into the comforting warmth of his body, and his presence was like a balm to the panic racing through her soul.

"It's just a bit much, Anzu-san," he said calmly. "I'm going to ask that you refrain from touching Yuugi until she's had a little time to get used to being back in the real world. The Shadow Realm is very disorienting."

Anzu nodded slowly. "I can do that," she said, though she didn't sound very happy about it.

"Come on, Aibou," Yami murmured, leading Yuugi over to the table. He sat her down at the other end, near Malik, and then took the seat next to her, remaining close enough that their thighs brushed together.

"Are you really alright?" Honda asked doubtfully as Anzu sat down next to him.

"Yes, I'm fine," said Yuugi. She knew that her friends would doubt the truth of that statement after her little display and honestly she couldn't blame them for that. What had that been about? Normally she loved being hugged by Anzu, who had a way of holding on for just long enough and just tight enough to make a hug really special. But her skin was still crawling and just the thought of being touched by someone was enough to make her shudder. Unconsciously she pressed a little closer to Yami.

"Did he hurt you?" The question came from Anzu. She was watching Yami and Yuugi very closely.

"Not really," Yuugi replied simply. It seemed to be the easiest answer to give. "I mean, it's Yami Malik... There were a few scratches here and there but nothing that meant I had to go to the hospital." She kicked Yami lightly in the ankle when it seemed like he might have tried to protest and added, "You know what he's like... all talk and no action."

Jou was frowning. "What are you guys going to do about him?" He looked at Yami. "I mean, couldn't he come back and steal Yuugi or Ryou away again?"

"He could try," Yami growled.

"That's exactly what we're trying to prevent." Isis entered the room as she spoke, a darkly scowling Kaiba Seto not two steps behind her. The brunet stalked over to the table and sat down beside Mokuba, radiating an ugly vibe that dared anyone to approach him in the wrong way. She merely shot him an indulgent smile and continued, "Fortunately it's likely that Yami Malik's kidnapping of Yuugi severely weakened him. We should have at least a few days before he does anything else. He'll be gathering energy in the meantime."

"So we're going to have to move fast," Anzu surmised.

"There's no "we" about it," Malik said. "You can't help."

"We're Yuugi's friends!" Jou protested.

"You don't have shadow magic. He could kill you," Malik answered quietly.

"You can't keep us out of this!"

"Jou!" Yuugi said, silencing her friend's outburst before he could continue. She was watching Malik and she could see the silent strain in his body and hear it in his voice. She was certain that beneath the table, his hands had tightened into fists. Cautiously, ready for that itchy feeling of panic to come back, she reached out and touched his arm. Nothing happened except that Malik looked at her, startled, and Yuugi smiled tentatively. "It will be alright, Malik. I promise."

**INC**

Ryou woke up slowly, feeling a deep lethargy that tried to steal her back into sleep before she was even fully conscious. She opened her eyes and peered out at the room, her mind perfectly blank, a warm feeling of contentment preventing anything else from disrupting her state. It took her a full minute to realize that she didn't recognize her surroundings, and then another minute to remember why. Right: she was at Kaiba's mansion because he had (for some odd, undetermined reason) offered them a sanctuary of sorts away from Yami Malik. The clock on the bedside table read that it was after eleven, which meant that she'd missed another day of school. Great. At least Bakura would be pleased.

Like he had somehow sensed that she was thinking about him, there was a shift behind her, and then a low sigh. There was a heavy arm resting across her thighs and a hand pressed almost vertically along her stomach, fingers brushing the bottoms of her bare breasts. Ryou closed her eyes, wondering if she should go back to sleep for a while before Bakura woke up.

Then the reality of the scene set in and she froze. Her mind scrambled to connect the facts and she felt her stomach crash through to her toes as the full implication of what they had done the night before set in.

Fact one: Bakura was behind her.

Fact two: they were both naked.

Fact three: there was a mildly unpleasant aching between her legs.

Conclusion: Oh. My. God.

It took every iota of self-control she possessed to not fly out of that bed like Yami Malik was behind her. Moving slowly and carefully, Ryou sat up and turned only her head to look at Bakura. He was lying on his side facing her, his right hand tucked up near his head. His hair was spread across his face and he was breathing deeply, his chest rising and falling with a rhythm that told her he wasn't faking sleep. For a moment, she just sat there and looked at him, mesmerized by the unexpected sight of Bakura at peace. It probably wasn't something she would get to see very often. Her gaze wandered down his body, taking in all of the places she had a distant memory of touching, kissing, biting, and landed on his hips. There was a sheet slung low that covered everything important but her cheeks still flamed and she turned her head away.

"Dear god," she muttered, pushing the covers back and easing her way out of the bed. The carpet was thick and plush underneath her bare feet. She padded across the room, conscious of the fact that she was completely naked, and paused just long enough to grab a robe that had been set out on one of the chairs before she escaped, closing the door firmly behind her.

She took two steps away from the door and then had to stop. Her hands were shaking. She leaned against the wall and took a couple of deep breaths, feeling dizzy. Ryou had been a teenaged boy, so it wasn't like sex was a foreign concept; she'd known what it was and how it went and how good (theoretically) it could be. She'd never actually had sex before - being possessed by a dark spirit had a tendency to kill one's sex drive - and even after Bakura had disappeared, she'd never been particularly interested in getting close enough to anyone to let it get that far. How bizarre was it that her first time would be as a girl and with her back-from-the-dead darker half, no less?

"Welcome to my _life_." Disgruntled, Ryou shook her head and belted the robe around her body more firmly. Gods only knew how this would change things between her and Bakura now. She couldn't deny that she'd enjoyed it; the experience had been... well... it had been quite... good. A fresh blush rose in her cheeks and she cleared her throat self-consciously. Yes, quite good indeed. Bakura had been surprisingly patient and gentle in a way that she hadn't known he was capable of. She even though that she might not be adverse to doing it again if he were so inclined, and what did that say about her?

This was too much for Ryou to handle on her own. Normally she was used to being self-sufficient and taking care of her own problems, but this was... well beyond the parameters of anything she was prepared to deal with. She hurried down the hall until she found the stairs. As she got closer to the bottom, she heard the sound of voices and hoped desperately that it meant Yuugi was awake and functioning. Because Ryou very much needed to talk to someone and she couldn't think of anyone better than someone else who was going through the same thing, though she doubted that Yuugi had been so foolish as to begin a sexual encounter between her and Yami when she was in shock.

When she got to the kitchen, though, she saw that Yuugi was not alone. Yami, Mokuba, Seto (who was scowling), Isis, Malik, Anzu, Honda and Jou were all sitting around the large table. Abruptly, Ryou remembered her frantic phone calls from the day before - had it really only been less than twenty-four hours? - and realized that letting their friends know that Yuugi was safe and mostly unharmed had completely slipped her mind. No doubt her cell phone would be overloaded with text messages and voicemails when she finally got around to turning it on. She would've retreated, not wanting to be faced with so many people, but Jou caught sight of her and called her name.

"Ryou!" he said again when she would have kept going, and there was a subtle hardness lingering underneath his normally jovial tone that warned her not to run. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard before turning around with a falsely bright smile.

"Good morning, Jounouchi-kun," she said. "Everyone."

"Ryou, how are you feeling this morning?" Yami asked.

Ryou blinked at him. The automatic response, that she was fine, died before it could escape. It was very hard to look into those knowing crimson eyes and lie. "I'll be fine," she corrected. "Eventually."

He nodded. "Where's Bakura?"

"Upstairs," she said. "I imagine he'll be down soon." Bakura would notice she was gone before long. She considered it a miracle that she'd gotten out of the bed without his notice in the first place. She licked her lips and surveyed the table, noticing something peculiar. Jou, Anzu and Honda were gathered at one end of the table, clustered together. Strangely, Yuugi and Yami were at the other end, and Yuugi was pressed so tightly against him that Ryou didn't think a molecule of air could pass between. "What's going on?"

"Malik is trying to keep us out of the fight," Jou said immediately, eyes narrowed into angry slits. "He says that since we don't have shadow magic, we can't help."

"That's not what he said." Yuugi sighed and drew her hand back from where it had been resting on Malik's arm, leaving a space for Ryou to sit down between Yuugi and Malik. Almost instinctively, she moved to take it, sliding into the spot where she felt the safest: between two lights and near a dark.

"It's close enough."

"Look, you can do it if you want to, but don't be surprised if it ends in your death," Malik snapped. He was shaking, Ryou noticed, and she suddenly understood why Yuugi had been trying to comfort him. She mimicked the action, reaching out and taking his hand under the table. Malik squeezed her hand painfully tight in response.

"That's what friends do, even if it could be dangerous," Jou retorted, turning to Isis. "We'll do whatever we can. I'm sure there's something we can do."

Isis nodded. "I'll think about it."

Yuugi exhaled slowly, biting her lip, and then under the table a small hand crept into Ryou's other hand. Ryou kept her face straight, pretending that Yuugi and Malik weren't holding onto her so tightly that her fingers were losing sensation. Pretending that she wasn't clinging back just as tightly.

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Please review!


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, guys. I love getting them and you're all so awesome. A lot of people were hoping, I think, to have Bakura and Ryou talk in this chapter but that'll have to wait. We have much more pressing issues to contend with, and I was surprised that more people didn't ask me about it. Maybe it slipped our minds just like Ryou's! Enjoy!

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"Yuugi, I need to talk to you. Just you."

The words, hissed quickly and quietly into Yuugi's ear after they'd been sitting at the table for about twenty minutes, were tense enough to wake Yuugi up from her doze against Yami and realize that this was a serious matter. In spite of the fact that they were in the midst of having a discussion about how best to handle Yami Malik, it would have been impossible not to have noticed the panicked look on Ryou's face when Yuugi looked up at her. There was no way she could ignore that, even if she was reluctant to separate herself from Yami, and she nodded.

"Um, we'll be right back," she said to the table at large, interrupting a heated talk between Isis, Yami and Jou. Yami gave her a concerned look but Yuugi merely shot him a reassuring smile as she stood up, pulling Ryou with her. Ryou let go of Malik's hand and hurried towards the living room, now dragging Yuugi along behind her. The second they were alone, or as alone as they could get, she whirled around to face Yuugi.

"I had sex with Bakura," she blurted out, keeping her voice just hushed enough to ensure that they wouldn't be overheard.

Yuugi blinked and didn't say anything for almost a full minute. "I'm sorry," she said finally. "I could have sworn that you just said you'd had_ sex_ with _Bakura_."

"I did," Ryou confirmed, and it was such a relief to tell someone that she almost felt a little shaky. When Yuugi just kept staring at her dumbfounded silence, she put a hand over her eyes and sighed. "You don't have to tell me. God, I don't know what I was thinking. I was just... upset, I guess, by what happened."

"And you thought the best way to deal with was by having _sex_ with_ Bakura_?" In all honesty, Yuugi hadn't realized that her voice could get that shrill.

Ryou bit her lip. "I wanted to be close to him."

"Well you certainly accomplished that," Yuugi said gravely. Her mouth was twitching.

There a split-second pause. Then - "Are you _laughing at me_?"

"I can't help it. I'm sorry, but... honestly, Ryou? It sounds like something out of a soap opera." Yuugi shook her head and made an effort to straighten her face out, knowing that Ryou would want -no, need the matter to be taken seriously. She pushed aside any inclination to laugh out of pure disbelief and said, "Look, I think I'm still a little freaked out from what happened with Yami Malik. I don't mean to laugh. I can tell that you're upset, so... so why don't you walk me through it?"

Ryou closed her eyes for a long moment and tried to collect herself. She allowed Yuugi to tug her over to one of the couches; she was grateful for the chance to sit down before she fell down, because suddenly her legs were feeling a bit wobbly. "It's like I said. When Isis and I brought you back here, I guess I was in shock, a little. We sat in the tub for a long time until Yami and Bakura came back." With her free hand, she twisted the edge of the bathrobe, pulling the ends more firmly together over her chest. "Yami took you away, presumably to sleep, and Bakura brought me back to a guest room. I remember thinking that I was cold." She closed her eyes. "I was... I wanted to be warm. And safe. I was scared. I just wanted... I wanted Bakura to be with me. Here with me."

"And that seemed like the best way to do it?" Yuugi asked.

"I guess so. It seemed like a good idea at the time." The memory of the first moment when their lips came into contact flowed through her mind and she shivered. It had been like puzzle pieces connecting, like something she hadn't known was out of place suddenly clicking into the spot where it belonged. "I didn't mean to let it go so far but when he touched me I liked it. It made me feel things I've never felt before. I wanted him to do it, and afterwards we fell asleep together, and that was good, too." She realized that there was a foolish smile on her face and flushed slightly.

"Well, if you liked it then I'm not sure what the problem is," said Yuugi, giving Ryou's hand a squeeze. "Only..."

"Only what?"

Yuugi looked uncomfortable. "Ryou, did you... think about using... protection?"

A blank look came over Ryou's face. "Protection? Yuugi, say what you will about Bakura, but he is my darkness. He's never hurt me."

"Not that kind of protection, Ryou. I meant, like..." Yuugi took a deep breath, her cheeks turning pink, and managed to whisper, "Condoms."

There was a long moment of silence and then Ryou's mouth dropped open with horror. Protection. Oh holy fuck, she and Bakura hadn't thought about it once. Even when he'd been sliding into her, it hadn't occurred to her that there might be a very large problem with that. "Oh my god. _Oh my god_! I didn't... Oh my god. Do you really think I might be..." Her voice was rising with an edge of hysteria and in the other room the sound of speaking voices stopped abruptly.

"Ryou, calm down!" Yuugi's voice was sharp. "It's okay. It's going to be okay. But if you don't you're going to have everyone else in here and I really don't think you want this to become public knowledge." She let Ryou's hand go and jumped up, hurrying over to the door of the kitchen. "Anzu, could we talk to you for a second?"

Anzu came in a second later, followed closely by Yami. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking very curious.

"Aibou?" Yami was frowning. Clearly he'd heard the note of anxiety Yuugi had been trying and failing to hide.

"Yami, could you - "

"It's alright, Yuugi," Ryou said wearily. She didn't really feel comfortable talking about this sort of thing in front of _anyone_, but at least she knew that Yami could be trusted to remain silent on the topic. He wouldn't tell anyone, and nor would he tease Bakura about it if something were to happen. She felt faint at the very idea and Yuugi hastily sat down beside her again and took her hand.

"Go ahead Ryou," she urged.

"Last night Bakura and I..." Ryou swallowed hard. Suddenly it was much harder to say the words when she knew what might result from them. God, how could she have been so stupid? It was fine for Bakura; he, at least, had the very reasonable excuse of knowing next to nothing about modern birth control. He could've easily plucked the information from Ryou's mind when they had shared a body, but he would've needed a reason to and that, fortunately, had not been the sort of thing that Bakura had an interest in at the time. Ryou, on the other hand, had attended several sexual education classes when she was younger, and she'd had the concept of using a condom drilled into her many times over the course of the years. Oh god, what would she tell her father if she was really...?

Yuugi seemed to sense that she was rapidly spiralling out of control. Gripping Ryou's hand tightly in a way that she hoped was reassuring, she said quickly, "Bakura and Ryou had sex."

Anzu's eyes widened and she looked incredulous. "You _what_?" she squeaked.

It was obvious that Yami was very surprised as well, but he was much better at hiding it. "You're upset," he said, looking at Ryou with concern. "Why?"

"I wanted it," Ryou told him hastily, knowing that while he wouldn't outright accuse Bakura of forcing Ryou, the thought might be there regardless. It was wrong, so very wrong, but Yami and Bakura knew things about each other that no one else did, especially now that Yami had regained all of his memories. Ryou didn't really want to contemplate what the Thief King might've done in the worst of his days. "But I didn't... I'm afraid I might be..." She cast a desperate, pleading look at Anzu.

"Oh. _Oh_!" Anzu tried hard to keep her composure as understanding dawned. "Right, well."

"What do I do?" Ryou asked.

"Um. That's a good… Hang on." Anzu reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Seeing that, Ryou went white and lurched to her feet.

"I don't want anyone else to know!" she squeaked, snatching the phone away.

"You haven't got a choice," said Anzu apologetically. "I don't have the ability to get what you… um… need." There was a light flush rising into her cheeks as she cast a furtive look in Yami's direction. "I mean, we can go to Isis if you would prefer, but… to be honest I'm not wholly sure that this would be something that she would know a lot about."

Ryou looked at the screen and sighed. "Alright, go ahead," she said dully, passing it back over. "I mean, my humiliation can't get much more complete than this."

"You'd be surprised," Anzu muttered, tapping out a quick text. She hit send and stared at the screen pensively for a few seconds before it chimed with a new text. Her face brightened. "Alright, come on, Ryou-chan. We'll have to see if Kaiba-kun has a few things around that you can borrow to wear, or maybe you could borrow something from Mokuba-kun. We're leaving in half an hour."

"Leaving for where?" Ryou asked. Anzu just shook her head and reached out to grab Ryou's hand, making sure to avoid any contact with Yuugi. She pulled the unresisting Ryou through the door of the living room, leaving Yuugi and Yami alone. Yuugi had her hand over her mouth and was shaking her head.

"Poor Ryou," she said. "You know, when it's time you won't have to worry, Yami. I'll never forget about _that_."

"Good to know," Yami said, looking amused. Yuugi blinked at him for a moment until she realized what she had insinuated. Her cheeks turned fiery pink and she looked away hastily, mortified. Yami chuckled and sat down beside her on the couch, draping his arm around her shoulders with a sigh. "When Bakura gets up, I want him to take a look at this," he said, his hand idly tracing the edge of the band. "Would you let him?"

"I think so. If I could," said Yuugi, her embarrassment gradually fading with the new change of subject. She took a deep breath. "Yami, I don't think Ryou should be outside of the house alone, even if it's with Anzu. And I don't think that she's going to want Bakura to go with her, wherever they're going."

Yami's eyebrows rose. "And you think she'd want me to come instead?" he asked sceptically.

"Better you than Bakura or Seto," she pointed out reasonably. She thought she knew where Anzu would be taking Ryou and, more importantly, just who Anzu had called in for back up. And if Yuugi was correct, than Ryou was going to need all of the support that she could get. Yami would be the perfect person to keep them under control and veto the idea of any impromptu shopping trips. "It will be alright. I promise I won't leave the mansion until you come back. Seto and Isis are here. They won't let anything happen to me." For once, she was glad of the band, because it kept Yami from knowing how anxious the idea really made her.

"I don't like it, Aibou. I want to stay with you." Yami looked troubled, but he sighed and took her hand, pressing his lips to her palm in a gentle kiss that made Yuugi's heart skip a beat. She stared at him, fascinated by the look of his red lips pressing against her pale skin, and swallowed hard as his eyes met hers. "But if you want me to go, I will, as long as you agree to keep your promise. And I would like it if you kept your phone with you at all times so that I could call you when we're outside of the house. I'll use Ryou's."

"I will," Yuugi said hoarsely, licking her lips without thinking. "You should... go now. Before they leave."

Yami nodded and stood up. Yuugi watched him walk out of the room and put a hand over her chest, feeling the way her heart was suddenly pounding. There had been times, in the past, when she had noticed how attractive Yami was, even when she was a boy. It would have been impossible not to. Yami had a way of carrying himself that was incredibly striking; people were naturally drawn to him and Yuugi was no exception. But she'd never felt like this before. For just that one moment, she had wanted Yami to kiss her on the mouth, not just the hand, and if he had, she would have responded instead of pulling away. Suddenly Ryou's situation didn't seem all that far-fetched after all. Yuugi touched her lips with her finger and breathed out shakily, nervously wondering what this meant for their future.

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Please review!


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Thank you for all of the reviews. I'm glad that everyone is enjoying the route this story is taking. Let me say that judging by the response to the last chapter I have most definitely come to a conclusion about whether or not Yuugi and Ryou will ever become pregnant. Unfortunately for you, you're going to have to wait and see what happens. Enjoy!

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After getting dressed in a borrowed pair of Mokuba's jeans and a t-shirt, Ryou followed Anzu back downstairs, where they headed towards the front door. Yami was leaning against the wall, obviously waiting for them. Anzu paused and gave him a confused look, but Ryou just proceeded past him, too conflicted to say anything. On the one hand, she was relieved that Yami was coming, if only to be certain that Yami Malik wouldn't be making an appearance. But on the other hand, it was mortifying to know that there was someone else who was sharing in her mistake. She spared a moment to be thankful that Bakura was still sleeping upstairs and walked outside.

It was a beautiful morning, cool but with the sun shining warmly. Ryou looked down at the driveway and saw that there was a car already waiting for them. A convertible with the top down, it had been painted a deep, stunning shade of lilac. There was a very familiar woman leaning against the hood of the car, her arms folded, pushing her voluptuous breasts up against the hem of her white silk top. She was wearing a cocky smile, though it gradually wore away into an expression of outright shock when she caught sight of Ryou. She pushed herself into an upright position and let out a low whistle, approaching on three-inch heels that weren't exactly ideal for the gravel on the driveway.

"I thought Anzu-chan was pulling my leg," Mai Valentine remarked, looking Ryou up and down slowly. "Apparently she wasn't. What happened to you, kiddo?"

"Shadow magic," Ryou replied stiffly. Though she'd known that Mai was coming, it was no less embarrassing to have someone staring at her like she was a freak of nature. She crossed her arms self-consciously. "Why are you here?"

"Age," Anzu explained, and when Ryou turned around she saw that Anzu and Yami were standing right behind her. Anzu went on, "Mai is over the legal age and we aren't. She can get you what you need without a lot of uncomfortable questions or parental permission being required." She paused and then added, "I didn't think you'd want to have to involve your father."

"God no," Ryou said vehemently. The mere thought of it made her stomach churn. It would be bad enough to have to explain to the man that she was now a girl, but to have to add in that she there was the possibility that she was pregnant? She cringed. "Mai, thank you for your help."

"No problem. Now, come on, this kind of thing is best taken as soon as possible." Mai beckoned to them as she turned and hopped into the driver's seat. Anzu got into the passenger's seat beside her and Ryou ended up in the back with Yami. She clenched her hands into fists to keep herself from shaking as Anzu and Mai began chatting in the front. Yami remained quiet but Ryou was very aware, and oddly grateful, for his stoic presence.

The trip downtown didn't take very long. Mai screeched to a stop outside of what looked like a non-descript brick building. Ryou looked up at it and felt like she was going to throw up. Mai shot her a comforting smile. "No need to worry, sweetie," she said. "I have a few... ah, connections. As soon as Anzu texted me I called up a friend of mine who also happens to work for Kaiba Corp. I'm going to go in and get you what you need. Fortunately for you, you have the right friends so no exams will be necessary. You guys wait here, okay?"

"Okay," Ryou whispered, sinking back into the seat. She didn't watch Mai go in but closed her eyes, wondering how her life had come to this. It felt like an agonizingly long time went by before Mai returned, carrying a small white bag.

"You got it?" Anzu asked.

Mai got back into the driver's seat. "I got it. Let's go somewhere else and then Ryou can take it." She started the car and drove down the street, took a right, and pulled into the parking lot of the shopping mall. Ryou got out of the car on legs that felt weak and trailed behind as Mai and Anzu led the way towards the food court. Mai ordered them all drinks from one of the restaurants. When she came back to the table, she took a simple foil package out of the bag and showed it to Ryou. It had two small white pills on the back, one of which Mai popped out and held in the palm of her hand.

"That's it?" Ryou said, staring at it.

"That's it," Mai confirmed. "You take this one now and the other one twelve hours from now. I'm not saying that you'd end up pregnant even if you didn't take it, but this is your best opportunity to confirm that it won't be happening."

That was good enough for Ryou. She reached out and took the pill, popping it into her mouth with a quick swig of lemonade. It burned on the way down and she coughed a little, hitting her chest. She attempted a smile. "Well, here's to it working."

"And how," Anzu muttered. She and Mai exchanged looks and then Anzu stood up. "Yami, come on," she said. "All of you guys should have some new clothing. Yuugi and Ryou can't live out of Mokuba's borrowed clothing forever, and most of what they have is too big for you and Bakura. You can help me pick out some things that you think Yuugi will like. We'll go right over there." She pointed to a store that was only about twenty feet away, meaning that Ryou would be in full view the whole time.

"Will you be alright?" Yami asked, looking at Ryou.

Ryou knew he would stay if she wanted him to. Yami was like that. It was why she nodded. "I'll be fine," she said, knowing that Mai wanted to talk to her in private. Likely, it was going to be a conversation best held not in front of an ancient pharaoh. Anzu started explaining as she and Yami walked away, and Ryou turned her head to watch their progress, feeling her body growing tenser with every step that Yami took. Being out of the reach of a darkness was enough to make her feel like panicking. Suddenly she very much wished that Bakura was there, no matter how difficult or embarrassing he would've made it.

"Ryou-chan."

"What?" With effort, Ryou glanced back at Mai and saw that there was a new bag sitting on the table between them. Mai nodded her head at it and Ryou cautiously reached out and took it. Her stomach flipped over when she peeked inside and saw that it contained half a dozen small boxes. Birth control. She closed it quickly and looked up, mouth open.

"You might think you don't need it," Mai said, holding up a hand to forestall any arguments. "I disagree. I can't even begin to say that I understand the bond between a light and a dark because I don't. But I do know what it's like to have sex with someone for the first time, especially someone you care about. The first time is rarely the last time, and I don't want to get any more early morning calls from Anzu about someone needing a morning after pill. There are six boxes in there, three for you and three for Yuugi-chan. Three months should be enough time for you guys to do what you have to do in terms of getting doctors to prescribe this for you. Or maybe Kaiba can pull some more strings behind the scenes, I don't know." Mai studied her for a moment. "The only reason I'm not insisting on you using condoms as well is because I know you were a virgin and I think it's pretty safe to assume that after a couple of centuries Bakura wouldn't have any infections that could be spread."

Ryou could practically feel her cheeks flaming. God this was even more awkward than she'd guessed. "Some people might say Bakura is the infection," she said weakly.

Mai smiled kindly. "I'm sure they would," she said. "Just like I'm sure you know differently. I'm not trying to run your life, Ryou-chan, but there are things that you have to exercise more caution with now that you're a girl and sex is one of them. Normally to get these" she pointed to the bag "you'd have to go through a pretty intimate exam. Be grateful that you got to skip it for the time being."

"I am," Ryou whispered. Words couldn't describe how grateful she was that she had friends to fall back on at the moment. She would've been left floundering otherwise, completely at a loss.

"All you have to do is take one of those pills every day. Do_ not_ forget about it, understood? There are other kinds of birth control that you might want to look into later on but for now I suggest you stick with what's simple and easily accessible. The last thing you want to do is end up pregnant because that opens up a whole new can of worms." Mai leaned back in her chair and crossed one of her legs over the other. "I'm not even ready to deal with that yet and I'm a lot older than you are."

No kidding. Just the thought of having to deal with the possibility of a child was enough to make Ryou cringe. She tightened her grip on the bag and let her breath out in a shaky sigh. "Thank you, Mai. I really do appreciate this, believe me. I know I screwed up and I won't make that mistake again."

"It's not a big deal. I'm glad I could help. Now…" She leaned forward. "One more thing. There are a few condoms in that bag, too, at the bottom. I don't know if you noticed them or not, but the pills aren't effective until you've been on them for seven days. I'm assuming that you know how to put one on?"

"Yes." Ryou nodded. She could remember that much from those sexual education classes. Her teacher had made them practice on cucumbers.

"Good. Make sure you use them if anything happens between now and then." Mai stood up, apparently deeming the conversation to be over. Ryou got up as well, tucking the bag under her arm, and tossed the remains of her lemonade in the garbage before following Mai over towards the store. Anzu was inside happily gathering a pile of clothing together, but Yami was just standing out front, not even pretending like he wasn't staring straight at them. Mai marched into the store to help Anzu, but Ryou stopped near Yami.

"That," she said, "was the single most embarrassing conversation I have ever had."

To his credit, it looked like Yami was trying hard not to smirk. He failed miserably, but he tried.

She scowled at him. "I wouldn't be too smug. There are provisions in here for you and Yuugi, too."

"For me and Aibou?" Yami echoed, astonished.

"That's right."

He just stared at her and she turned away, satisfied by having brought a little shock into someone else's life. Anzu and Mai were now clustered around the cash with what appeared to be a mountain of clothing, and she noticed that Anzu was holding a very familiar card, though where she'd gotten it from, Ryou had no idea. Last she'd seen the card Mokuba had given them, it had been in her pocket. She watched as the cashier began ringing through their rather large purchase and leaned against the wall, one hand absently cupping her stomach. She was beginning to feel nauseous and a bit dizzy.

A moment later Yami's hand touched her shoulder and she looked up at him. He examined her face for a long moment before squeezing gently; then he let go and moved into the store. He walked over to Anzu and Mai and said something to the two of them in a low voice. Whatever it was made the cashier start moving more quickly. Anzu paid and then the three of them returned to Ryou. Without a word, Yami took her arm and placed it on top of his, giving her something to lean against, and that helped a little when she reluctantly stepped away from the wall.

"We're all done," said Anzu a little guiltily. Her eyes flicked back and forth between Ryou and Yami, lingering briefly before on their joined arms, before she added, "We'll go back now, Ryou-chan. I bet Bakura's awake and wondering where you've gone."

Ryou smiled, just a little, and nodded her agreement. "Probably," she said. The thought that he might very well be was oddly comforting.

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**A/N I:** I did a bit of research on emergency contraception in Japan. It seems that women's clinics and hospitals do prescribe it as required, but Yuugi and Ryou are still underage - and of course there is the matter of their records reflecting them as male. I wanted a way to get around that. So I'm pulling artistic license and saying that between Mai's connections and Seto's money, Ryou was able to get what she needed without going down that road.

**A/N II:** Let me just make it abundantly clear, because I don't want any flames about this bullshit, that what Ryou took was emergency contraception, also known as Plan B or the Morning After Pill. It works by preventing a pregnancy after sexual intercourse and is different from a medical abortion. If you don't agree with that, I don't want to hear about it. I am extremely pro-choice and I firmly believe it's a choice any and all women have the right to make.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews, as always. I know there was no update on Tuesday and the reason is that I had a really busy weekend. Don't be surprised if it happens from here on out once in a while. In the meantime, enjoy!

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Yuugi was curled up into a small ball on the couch, her eyes focused on the flickering screen of the television, when Jou walked in. He looked at her for a long moment before he came over and sat down on the other end, keeping a healthy distance between them. He didn't say anything, and the tension built slowly until finally Yuugi couldn't take it anymore. She put the television on mute and said, "I didn't do it on purpose, you know. I couldn't help it."

"I know," Jou said gently, not having to ask what "it" was. "I know you wouldn't do that. But... you scared us, Yuugi."

"I'm sorry." The words felt painfully inadequate but she didn't know what else to say. How could she explain the feeling of pure panic that had engulfed her when Anzu touched her, like someone had set loose an electric itch underneath her skin? That feeling hadn't been present when she touched Yami, or Ryou or Malik, but she suspected that if she reached out and grabbed Jou's hand it would be come back and be worse than ever, and just remembering it was enough to make her shiver. What had Yami Malik done to her?

Jou must have caught the look of misery on her face because he grimaced. "I'm not trying to assign blame or anything. Hell, if I was it would be square on my shoulders. I never should have let you look for Yami by yourself. I know better than that. I should've stuck with you until you tracked him down."

"That's not your responsibility."

"Yes, it is. You're my friend. That makes your health and well-being my responsibility, regardless of whether or not Yami is around," he replied immediately. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, Yuugi. I know we can't do much. Maybe if I had been there with you, Yami Malik might've taken you anyway. After all, we don't have shadow magic or anything like that. But please don't push us away. Honda, Anzu and I, we want to be there for you in whatever way possible, even if it means that we have to sit on the sidelines. So please promise me that you won't keep us out of the loop. Getting that phone call from Ryou saying that you were missing was bad enough. I don't ever want to get one telling me that you've died and not have any idea it was coming."

Guilt, hot and heavy, swept over her. She was half tempted to make some lame joke in an attempt to lighten the situation, but she could sense that it wasn't the time. Instead, she turned and looked at him. "I just don't want you to be hurt, Jou. Yami Malik is dangerous. You of all people should know that. And like you said, you guys don't have any way of protecting yourselves against him. He could do anything to you."

"Well, yes, that is true," he allowed. "Don't think I haven't been thinking about that ever since you admitted that he was back. But there are some things that are more important and you happen to be one of them. If it makes you feel any better, I promise that we'll stay back unless it's absolutely necessary. I won't put myself in danger needlessly."

She didn't know if he would be able to keep that promise, but it was satisfying to hear nevertheless. Yuugi smiled at him. "In that case, I promise to let you know what's going on as best I can," she replied. "But I hope you can understand that sometimes there will be things I can't tell you."

"I know," he said quietly, looking away. It still hurt, sometimes, to think of all the time he had missed out on, the years when he could've been Yuugi's best friend, his_ closest_ friend, and he'd been too stupid to at the time to realize it. Now there was Yami and no one would ever come between the two of them. Jou wouldn't even bother to try. "As long as you keep yourself safe, I can tolerate it." He smiled suddenly. "And don't think this doesn't mean I can't tease you about Yami."

"And don't think I won't reciprocate about anyone you might fall in love with," Yuugi said slyly. It hadn't escaped her notice that Jou and Seto had become marginally more friendly towards each other. They'd actually been civil in the kitchen while they were speaking to Malik and Isis. It seemed that with a common enemy the two of them could actually deign to get along sometimes. She'd always thought to herself that they might be good together, but she'd never dared to broach the subject considering that the passion between them had always run to hatred and not affection. Perhaps the tide was going to turn.

Jou was staring at her suspiciously. "Do you happen to have anyone in mind?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"No, not at all!" she said quickly, jumping off of the couch. In the past he might've put her in a headlock until she expressed what she'd been thinking about and she didn't want to go down that road, not now when they were finally warming up to each other again. Jou would only be upset if he remembered that he couldn't touch her without Yuugi going into a panic. "I think I'll go see if Bakura is awake yet. I don't want him tearing the mansion down because he discovered that Ryou is gone."

She escaped the room before Jou could respond and ran lightly up the back staircase to avoid going into the kitchen, where she could hear that Seto, Isis and Malik were still talking. Yami had shown her where Bakura and Ryou were staying on their way down to the kitchen earlier that morning. The door was still firmly closed but as Yuugi approached and pressed an ear against the wood, she could hear the sound of a shower going. It had to Bakura because she couldn't imagine anyone else getting inside without his knowledge or permission, which he was unlikely to grant to anyone but Ryou. Still, she took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't about to catch him naked or something like that, and then put her hand on the doorknob and pushed it open.

The room was empty, fortunately, and the bathroom door was shut. On this side of the door, the sound of the shower was even clearer than before. Yuugi closed the door behind her and walked over to the bed, perching gingerly on the edge and trying very hard not to think about what Ryou and Bakura had done in the bed the night before. She stared down at her hands, realizing that something that had been wound up tight in her chest, a hollow knot that she hadn't even noticed until it started to disappear, was dissolving just from the proximity to a yami, even if it wasn't hers. Interesting.

The shower shut off and then a moment later the door opened. Bakura was standing there clad only in a towel, beads of water still visible on his chest and shoulders. He didn't seem to be very surprised to see her sitting there. "I don't recall extending an open door policy to any midgets," he said."

"You didn't. I let myself in," Yuugi said, blushing slightly. He might have a bad attitude a lot of the time but Bakura was surprisingly attractive. No wonder Ryou had gotten herself in so deep. "I needed to talk to you."

Bakura sighed. "So talk," he said, wandering across the room towards the closet. His damp hair had turned a cloudy grey and was sticking to his back. Yuugi turned away quickly when she heard his towel hit the floor, sternly forbidding herself from looking. She started speaking fast.

"Ryou told me what happened between you guys last night. She was concerned that she might end up pregnant. All it takes is one time, you know, and we're too young for that kind of thing." She paused, twisting her fingers together, and remembered that in Ancient Egypt girls as young as twelve or thirteen were expected to be raising families. She added, "That's just how it is in this time. So… so Anzu and Mai took her to get something that would make sure that didn't happen. Yami went with them."

There was a pause and she dared to look. Fortunately, Bakura was now wearing a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips. He looked curious. "You can do that?"

Yuugi blinked. "_I _can't, not personally, no. But they have special medications to make sure that girls don't pregnant until they want to. It's something like 95% effective. I don't know the specifics. I've never needed to know that much about it before." She suspected that would soon change.

"The wonder of the modern age," Bakura muttered, a remark that may have been sarcastic. He grabbed a shirt from the closet and pulled it over. "Why are you still here?"

"What?"

"You came to deliver a message. I received it." He gestured to the door.

"Oh, right." She no longer had an excuse, but she didn't want to leave. She felt safe here. Bakura wouldn't lift a hand to save her if Yami Malik attacked, but his very presence would be enough to keep Yami Malik away, and it was worth putting up with him just for that. She pulled at the hem of her shirt, showing him the collar, and his arms dropped to his sides as his eyes widened. In a handful of long steps he was looming over her, a position that should have been threatening but somehow wasn't when he reached for the collar with brisk but gentle hands. Yuugi closed her eyes and let him turn her head this way and that.

"The Pharaoh couldn't get it off?" It didn't sound like a question that needed to be answered. Bakura placed his hand over the back of her neck and his magic tingled in the collar, drawn into it just like Yami's. After a moment he swore and stepped back, rubbing the tips of his fingers together. His brow was furrowed and he was staring at it like it had just done him a personal slight.

"You can't get it off either, can you?" Yuugi bit her lip tightly, fear mingling with alarm until she didn't know which emotion was making her heart pound. The thought of being stuck with something that had come from Yami Malik was utterly horrifying. "I can't feel Yami because of it. Please get it off!"

"Calm down!" he barked, and she sucked in a quivery breath. "There's a way to get it off. I've seen them before. But I won't risk doing it by myself. Wait until the Pharaoh and the Priest return."

Yuugi swallowed hard and nodded silently, not liking the sound of that. There wasn't much that would make Bakura apprehensive, and now that he was done looking at the collar there was really no reason for her to stay. She went to stand and was surprised when his hand came out, lightly pushing her back down onto the bed. He didn't look at her but the implication was clear: she wasn't to leave the room. She stayed there on the edge of the bed while he went back into the bathroom, but this time he left the door open so that she could see him, and even if they didn't speak again she felt secure.

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Please review!


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N:** This is just to let you know there will be no update of_ Incomplete_ on Tuesdays until further notice. Enjoy!

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She was still sitting there, staring off into space, when her phone beeped about half an hour later. Automatically, Yuugi pulled her cell from her pocket and flipped the top up, fully expecting to see a message from Yami or possibly her grandfather, who might want to know how things were going between the two of them. What she wasn't expecting was to see a text message from her mother. Yuugi stared down at her phone, her thumb hovering over the button that would open the message. Her heart was pounding.

Did she dare look at it? Did she want to read anything from the woman that had slapped her and called her an "it"? She knew that the smart thing to do would have been to delete the message. The bruise on her cheek was only just starting to fade, but it would be some time yet before the damage was fully gone. Every time she saw her reflection, it was a brutal reminder than her mother had the capacity to be more than just emotionally cruel. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to delete it. This was her _mother_, the woman who, along with her grandfather, had been the focus of her world for a long time. Slowly, she pressed the button.

_Yuugi, I'm at the Starbucks on Main Street. I'd like to see you. Meet me here at 1:00pm if you want to speak to me. - Mom_

That was it. Yuugi read and re-read the message a half dozen times in the span of a minute. Her eyes flicked up to the clock. It was just past noon, meaning she didn't have much time to decide whether or not she wanted to go. She closed her phone without responding and held it to her chest, feeling overwhelmed. Koto hadn't sounded angry, though it was hard, of course, to discern emotion from a text message, but maybe she was hoping that she and Yuugi could smooth things over.

That was a question that Yuugi didn't know how to answer, all things considered. Could she forgive her mother? Did she _want_ to forgive her mother? She didn't know. She'd done her best to avoid thinking about Koto and apparently she had succeeded a little too well. Chewing nervously on her lip, she slipped her phone back into her pocket. Would it hurt to go and hear Koto out? She could at least listen and then make an informed decision. But she couldn't go by herself: Yami had made her promise not to be alone with Koto, and anyway, that wouldn't be the safest of decisions with Yami Malik around. But she had no idea how long it would be before Yami and Ryou returned.

And then, like an answer to her internal conflict, the bathroom door swung open again and Bakura emerged, now fully dressed in low slung jeans and a t-shirt that did little to hide the definition of his body. He scowled at her when he noticed that she was looking at him, even though it had been his idea for her to stay, and moved across the room towards the window. Yuugi touched her phone again and licked her lips, wondering if she had lost her mind. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask; the most he could do was say no.

"Bakura," she said tentatively. He grunted and she took that as an invitation to keep speaking. "My mother texted me and said that she wants me to go meet with her."

"And?" Bakura didn't turn away from the window.

"I can't go by myself."

He did turn around to face her then, an incredulous expression on his face. "You seem to have forgotten that I am not one of your _friends_." He spoke the word 'friends' with an air of distaste, like it was the worst insult he could think of.

Yuugi frowned, wondering how to respond to that. The old Bakura was definitely not one of her friends, no, but this Bakura? The one that had returned from the dead, who was no longer possessed by an evil demon, who had had sex with one of her best friends? "Please," she said quietly. "All you have to do is come with me to Ryou's house and then to _Starbucks_. You won't have to say or do anything but sit there. I'll buy you whatever you want, even."

There was a long pause during which he just stayed at her, his expression cold, and she thought for sure that he was going to say no. Incredibly, he said, "Fine."

"Really?" Yuugi's eyes widened.

"You heard me. Don't push your luck." He swung around and stalked over to the door, and she leapt off of the bed and hurried after him. The mansion was even quieter now and she spared a moment to wonder where everyone else had gone as they made their way down to the front door. There was a limo idling down by the gate and Bakura threw the door open and climbed in. Yuugi hesitated and leaned forward to speak to the driver.

"Could you take us somewhere?" she asked.

"Anywhere you like, little lady."

Okay, the "little lady" remark burned, but they needed his help. She gritted her teeth and forced a smile as she gave him Ryou's address, then climbed in back with Bakura, who was staring pointedly out the window. Yuugi put her seatbelt on and wondered if this had been a good idea, but it was too late to turn back now. She put her hands in her lap and pressed her nails into the soft flesh of her palms, watching as the more expensive mansions gradually turned into houses and apartment buildings. It seemed like they were at Ryou's far too quickly. Her heart was pounding heard as Bakura picked the lock and let them both in.

"Right, I'll just be a moment," she said, dashing up the stairs. The clothing was right where she and Ryou had left it, the boxes partially unpacked with their contents strewn about in every direction. Yuugi grimly stripped off the borrowed clothing she was wearing and picked through until she found the bra she'd worn before. She put it on and then kept looking for an outfit that would fit reasonably well but did not contain glittery pink butterflies she'd have to attack with scissors. She found it in a white tank top that had a pattern of little violet stars stitched in a diagonal slash across the front and a flared violet skirt. Both of them were simple but unmistakably girly and it was exactly what she wanted.

She was sorely lacking Ryou's skill with a hair straightener, but with the help of some water and ten minutes of struggle she managed to make her hair to lay reasonably straight around her shoulders. It was almost disturbing to look into the mirror and see a teenaged girl looking back at her. Normally she wouldn't have been caught dead in something like this, but she wanted to make sure Koto knew that Yuugi was still a girl. She couldn't help feeling a perverse pleasure in shoving this into her mother's face.

It was also sheer fun to see the look on Bakura's face when he caught sight of her. His mouth actually opened a few inches and he blinked a couple of times like he thought she might do a disappearing act. Yuugi paused just long enough to savor the knowledge that she'd rendered Bakura speechless before she walked carefully across the living room floor (the flattest pair of white sandals she'd been able to find had an inch heel and were a half a size too big, but the alternative was a three-inch heel and, well, she didn't count that as an alternative).

"Come on," she said. "It's almost 1:00pm. I'm going to be late."

**INC**

The nausea had been growing steadily worse on the drive back to the mansion. Ryou sat in the corner of the car and rested her head on Yami's shoulder, simply because the effort it took to hold it up was too much. She didn't really feel like she was going to be sick; it was more like there was a whirlpool in the pit of her stomach that wouldn't stop churning. She rested her hand lightly on her belly and grimaced. If this was what it felt like to take the birth control pills, Bakura was going to be getting a lot of practice time in with cucumbers in the near future.

Yami shifted and turned his head slightly. "Alright?"

"Yeah, I think so," she said. "I think it will be better once we're back at the mansion and I can lie down for a while. Every time the car hits a bump it's worse."

She felt him nod but he didn't say anything else and for that, she was grateful. Actually she was just relieved that he was there period, and that Anzu and Mai had been around, because Ryou didn't want to think about the mess she would have been in if they hadn't been. For a moment, she tried to imagine what it would have been like if she'd been trying to deal with this on her own and inwardly shuddered. The sexual education classes she had attended had taught her all about the morning after pill, though she'd considered it useless information at the time, and she was thankful that her friends had stepped in to get it for her. She wouldn't have had the slightest idea of where to get it, and depending on the cost she might not have been able to afford it. Thank the gods for friends with the right kind of connections, or she might have ended up with a nasty surprise she wasn't equipped to deal with in nine short months.

"Ryou? You feeling okay?"

Distracted, Ryou glanced up and realized that Anzu had turned her head to look at her. There was a concerned expression on the brunette's face and Ryou managed to smile. "I'm okay. My stomach just hurts, that's all."

"It's normal," said Mai, adjusting her central mirror so that she could see the two of them without having to turn around. "One of my friends took it and she was sick for like a week afterwards. They say it usually goes away within twelve hours or so of taking your last pill."

Great, so that meant she had another twenty-four hours or so of _this_ to look forward to? That was wonderful news. Ryou curled up and silently decided that she and Bakura were going to have a very long talk before they didn't anything else. There was no way he was getting anywhere near her until they'd both brushed up on modern birth control. "I hope so," she muttered. "It feels like someone reached inside of me and is jumping up and down."

"It could be because you're not, you know, fully settled yet," Anzu said helpfully. "You and Yuugi haven't been girls for very long."

"No," Ryou agreed. She was going to say something else but all thoughts fled her mind when she heard her phone ringing with a very special tone. Her heart sank and she swallowed hard as she reached into her pocket and pulled the phone out. Sure enough, the display was lit up with her father's name and picture. Oh god, what the hell did he want? Reluctantly, knowing he would keep calling until she answered, she held the phone to her ear and pressed the button to speak, remembering at the last minute to drop her voice to a more reasonable pitch. "Um... hello?"

"Ryou-kun!" Bakura Osamu's voice blasted down the line and Ryou jumped. "Good to hear from you, son. How are things over there?"

"Hi Dad," Ryou said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Things are going pretty good."

"Still making straight A's in school?"

"Yes, of course.'

"That's what I like to hear. Say, Ryou-kun, there's a reason I'm calling."

A sickening feeling that had nothing to do with the pill gripped her tummy. "Oh, and what would that be?"

"I'm coming home for a visit in five days."

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Please review!


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N:** Thank you for the reviews. Enjoy!

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The _Starbucks_ on Main Street was busy with crowds of people who were out enjoying the early afternoon sunshine. Nearly every seat was occupied. But in spite of that, Yuugi didn't have any trouble spotting her mother. Koto was sitting at one of the tables near the back of the room, her dark head bowed over the remains of a muffin. She was idly tracing her finger around the top of a cup, her chin propped on her other hand. She was seated in such a way that she wasn't facing the entrance and Yuugi had to wonder if that was because she thought Yuugi wasn't coming. Or maybe she just didn't want to see who was going to walk in.

Seeing her again was a jolt to system and Yuugi immediately felt flustered. Needing a moment to collect herself, she turned abruptly and walked over to the counter, Bakura silently trailing her. The girl standing there looked up and smiled. "What can I get for you?"

"We'll take two vanilla hot chocolates." Yuugi asked for the first thing that came into her mind. She didn't know if Bakura would like coffee or tea but she knew he liked chocolate. "And one chocolate muffin, please." She pulled her wallet from her pocket and took out a couple of bills, completing the purchase in silence before they moved aside. While they were waiting for their drinks to be made, she couldn't help sneaking glances in Koto's direction. It appeared that the woman hadn't noticed them yet.

"Order up: two vanilla hot chocolates and a chocolate muffin."

"Thanks. Here." She pressed one of the drinks and the muffin into Bakura's hands. "You can go sit down. I… probably won't be very long."

He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Yuugi watched him saunter over to one of the tables near the glass window and couldn't help smiling when the handful of teens occupying the table suddenly vacated it at a single, meaningful look from Bakura. The yami slipped into one of the seats and casually crossed one leg over the other as he sipped from his drink. No one would ever have known that he was actually a thousands-year-old spirit who had just returned to the modern age a handful of days ago.

Yuugi took a deep breath and walked over to Koto's table. "Hello," she said shortly, biting off the "Kaa-san" that wanted to rise her tongue.

Koto looked up in surprise. The expression on her face as she took in her daughter was rich. She sucked in a sharp breath, eyes widening slightly. Her mouth opened and then closed wordlessly before her lips pressed into a thin, firm line. Yuugi stared back at her, silently daring her to say anything. It was true that she didn't necessarily feel at home in the female clothing that she was wearing, but this was her now and it was something that Koto was going to have to deal with whether she liked it or not. Yuugi wanted her to know that she was a girl and that wasn't going to be changing.

"Yuugi," her mother said after a long, stony silence.

"Can I sit down?" Yuugi asked, wondering if Koto would send her away. She was fairly certain that she wasn't imagining the look of distaste in Koto's eyes.

"Yes, of course." Koto leaned back against her chair as Yuugi sat down across from her. It took her a second to get the hang of sitting in a skirt; she fumbled briefly before realizing that it was easier to sweep the material under her thighs first. When she looked up, there was a smile fighting to cross Koto's face and Yuugi had to grin sheepishly in response.

"I guess I don't give girls enough credit for dealing with this," she said, waving her hand to indicate her outfit. "Harder than it looks."

"You'll get used to it," Koto said. Then she bit her lip, like she was just realizing what she'd said.

Yuugi took a sip of her drink to hide the flash of accomplishment that had gone through her. Unconscious or not, the comment was a step in the right direction, at least. "Do you like it?" she asked, and there was a hint of a challenge in her voice that said she wasn't afraid to walk out if the answer was the wrong one.

"It's… different. I guess I never pictured you like this," she said slowly, turning her head slightly. "Where did you get that clothing from?"

"Ryou's sister."

"So your friends know, then."

"Yes, of course. It wasn't like I would be able to hide it from them forever," Yuugi pointed out. She didn't feel it necessary to add that if she could have, she might have seriously considered it at the time.

"I'm going to guess they took it better than I did," Koto said with a thin smile that bordered on a grimace. "Look, Yuugi, I want to apologize for what I did that night. It was a shock to me but I should have handled the situation better than I did." She stared down at her plate, a thin line furrowing between her eyebrows. "Regardless of what's happening I know that it is never okay for a parent to hit their child. I know better than that. I crossed a line when I slapped you and I realize that there's nothing I can do to make it better. I probably don't even deserve to ask for your forgiveness and so I won't."

Much as it was nice to hear that little speech, it sounded rehearsed. Yuugi frowned. "You hurt me," she said, unconsciously touching her cheek. It still stung when she put pressure on that spot. Koto winced as though she was the one in pain and nodded miserably.

"I know and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

That was a little more genuine but it hadn't escaped her notice that Koto hadn't mentioned what she'd _said_ that night, only what she'd done. "Is that why you called me here?"

"Partly," Koto said with a nod. "I had to get that off my chest. You deserved an apology."

"And what about the rest of it? You called me an "it"."

Koto flinched. "Yuugi…"

"Don't you want to call me Yuu-chan? It's much more fitting now, don't you think?" Yuugi asked, her hand tightening around her drink container. The heat of the liquid inside was making the tender skin of her palm throb with pain but she couldn't seem to let go. It gave her a perverse satisfaction to see the way that Koto physically jolted at the question, like Yuugi had kicked her under the table.

"You're going to have to give me time," Koto said through gritted teeth. Evidently the talk wasn't going the way she had planned. "I can't just be expected to accept this overnight, you know. You were… you used to be a boy and now you're a girl." The words flowed out in an unstoppable flood. "It's _unnatural_, Yuugi. What would I tell my friends, our customers? What will you tell your fans or your classmates? That you've gone and had a sex change?" Her voice had risen slightly and was attracting attention. "Or will you tell them that you've actually been a girl all along and that somehow, miraculously, you've just managed to hide it all this time? Do you know the consequences of your actions? Did you even care about what this means for me and your grandfather? How could you be so_ selfish_?"

For a long moment Yuugi just stared at her, utterly speechless. It took her a minute to gather her thoughts enough to respond. Finally, she said, "You think that_ I'm_ selfish?" She could feel herself shaking. "Do you know what it was like for me when Yami was gone? Do you know what it's like to be whole and then to be ripped apart? Left alone to be half of who you used to be and know that it's not going to change until you die? Do you?"

"You would've been fine," Koto said.

"Fine? How the hell would you know? You never bothered to stop pretending that everything was alright long enough to ask!" Yuugi was the one who was speaking too loudly now and she couldn't seem to lower her voice.

"Yuugi - "

"No! I don't want to hear it. Not from you, not anymore. I thought that there was a chance that I could come here and make peace with you, that maybe you'd had enough time to accept that things have changed. I just wanted to know that someday you would be okay with it. I realize you don't like Yami but I thought…" She shook her head and looked up with overly bright eyes. "Hell, I don't know what I thought. But now I'm starting to understand that you're _never_ going to get it, not if you have years to think about it."

It seemed from the blazing expression on her face that Koto was about to say something biting in response, but she never got the chance. Bakura was there suddenly, looming over the two of them, his lavender eyes freezing Koto in place and leaving her words half-formed. She stared at him for a moment before looking helplessly back at Yuugi, seemingly recognizing that anything she said might end in a forfeit of her life. Yuugi just shook her head silently and put her still full cup down on the table as she got to her feet and stumbled away, feeling chilled all over. She had completely lost her appetite.

The wind whipped her in the face when she stepped outside the café. It felt good to have the cold breeze against her cheeks. She wrapped her arms loosely around her waist and started walking blindly, not paying attention to where she was going. There was a constriction in her chest, wrapped tightly around the place where she needed to be able to draw in air, and her eyes were burning hot even though she wasn't crying. Her mind was spinning, endlessly repeating the cruel words that Koto had spat at her in anger. She didn't think she'd ever forget them.

There had been a time when she'd looked up to her mother – every young child did, but Yuugi especially. She'd thought that Koto was the greatest person in the world for carrying on as a single mother even when things had been difficult. It was incredibly, painfully hard to reconcile the image of a woman who had rocked and sung her to sleep at night with the one who could sit across from her in a hard plastic seat and tear her to shreds with a few words. How could they be the same person?

Footsteps echoed behind her. Someone touched her arm, a brush of shadows that made the light inside of her throb. "Alright?"

Bakura. Yuugi closed her eyes and let him lead her off to the side, into a little space between two stores where they were out of the wind and sight. "I'm fine," she said raggedly. "She didn't touch me."

He just looked at her - he knew that, he'd been sitting there watching their encounter closely and she knew it - and folded his arms. Yuugi stood next to him, their shoulders not quite touching, and stared out at the people who were walking by. There was a lump in her throat that made it difficult to swallow. This was the end of it, she knew; she had reached the point where she was officially no longer a child and had to let go of any last trace of innocence that might have remained. It came for everyone, not quite in this way but still, and she'd known it was coming, suspected it even more after the idea that she might have to choose was first planted in her head, but in spite of all that she hadn't realized it would hurt quite this much.

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Please review!


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad everyone enjoyed Yuugi's encounter with her mother. Hope you like this one as well.

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"You're coming for a visit," Ryou repeated numbly, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Yami turn to look at her, alerted by either her tone or her words that something was wrong. Ryou couldn't stop herself from reaching out and gripping his arm tightly, needing an anchor to the world so that she didn't completely lose it even though she wanted to. "When does your plane get here, Tou-san?"

"I've booked my ticket to land on Wednesday night. I know it's a surprise, but it was the best rate I could get," her father replied. He sounded amazingly cheerful considering that it had been months, well over a year, since he'd last visited Japan, and normally he hated the country in general. "I know you'll be in school on Thursday and Friday, but then we'll be able to spend the weekend together, just the two of us."

Just the two of them? Ryou removed the phone from her ear and stared at it for a full minute in bewildered silence, wondering if she was actually speaking to Bakura Osamu or if maybe an imposter had chosen to pose as her father and call her for some mysterious reason. She honestly couldn't remember the last that the man had willingly chosen to spend time with her. It had probably been well before the deaths of her mother and sister. There had to be more to this than Osamu was letting on, some reason that he was suddenly interested in returning home, but what?

"Ryou-kun? Are you there? Ryou-kun?"

Ryou held the phone up. "I'm here. I lost you for a moment. Must be a bad connection," she said, tightening her jaw fractionally. It was tempting to ask him straight out why he was really coming, but Osamu did not take well to what he perceived as someone stepping out of line, and that sort of question would definitely spark his temper. She didn't want to get into a fight with him before he'd even come back into the country. "It will be… good to see you again."

"Indeed, it's been far too long since we had the chance to do anything together, my boy. I think you'll find that I'm not the man I used to be." Osamu chuckled a bit.

"You could say that same thing about me," Ryou said softly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Tou-san. Did you want me to be there at the airport or will you take a cab home?"

"I'll take a cab. No need for you to make the trip. I should be home around seven. Keep your phone close; I'll text you if something happens and the plane is delayed. Good-bye, son."

She hung up without bothering to respond and brought her hand down slowly, conflicted. On the one hand, maybe it was better to get this over with. Osamu would have to find out sooner or later, and the longer she kept it a secret the harder it would be to eventually admit the truth. But on the other hand, there had to be an ulterior motive behind his sudden homecoming. The last time Osamu had left Japan, he'd made it clear that he wouldn't be returning unless it was absolutely necessary. So there had to be something going on that was important enough to warrant a visit.

"Ryou? Are you okay?" As the car came to a stop in front of the gates of the mansion, Anzu shifted around until she was kneeling on her seat, her hands clutching the headrest as she watched Ryou worriedly. "Is your father coming home?"

"Yeah, he is. On Wednesday," Ryou replied, tucking her phone back into her pocket. This was the _last_ thing she needed to deal with on top of everything else, but it wasn't like she could tell him that she didn't really want him coming home. She rubbed her forehead and sighed. "He said he wanted it to be a surprise but he couldn't wait any longer to tell me."

"Oh." Anzu sounded taken aback. "Well, that's nice."

"Not likely," Ryou said with a grim smile, "considering that the last time he brought me home a surprise, it was the Millennium Ring. I dread to think of what he's got up his sleeve this time." She pushed the door open and swung herself out of the car before Anzu had the chance to respond, striding towards the mansion without looking back. The door opened easily underneath her hand and the startled maid standing on the other side leapt out of the way. Ryou shot her a polite smile as she marched past and went straight up the stairs, not bothering to wait for anyone to catch up to her. She found her way back to the room she and Bakura had been sharing and walked in, closing the door behind her.

One of the servants had obviously come around at some point because the bed had been made up with fresh sheets. It was a little embarrassing to think that they all knew exactly what Ryou and Bakura had been up to, but she tried to push that thought from her mind as she walked over to the bed and sat down. Now that she was actually paying attention, she noticed it was a very comfortable bed: a soft but firm mattress that supported her back, down-filled pillows, and a warm comforter. She stared up at the ceiling, the pharmacy bag on the bed beside her, and wondered just how much more complicated her life could possibly become. Maybe even thinking that was tempting fate, but she couldn't help it. At some point in her wondering she must have fallen asleep, because she woke up to find Yuugi on the bed beside her, staring at the ceiling.

"Am I dreaming?" Ryou asked right away as soon as she what her friend was wearing. Maybe she hadn't woken up after all. There was a distinct possibility she was still asleep.

"No. You're awake," Yuugi said with a sigh, rolling onto her side to look back at Ryou. "I know I'm wearing girl's clothing. There is a reason behind it, I promise you. I haven't suddenly lost my mind or developed a taste for wearing a skirt... though I have to admit that it was a hell of a lot more comfortable than those damn jeans you made me wear last time."

A smirk tugged at Ryou's lips in spite of herself. "Well that's good to remember for future reference, I suppose. Mind if I ask _why_ you're wearing a skirt, then?"

"No." Yuugi closed her eyes and sighed. "I got a message from my mother asking me to come meet with her. I guess I wanted to throw this whole being a girl thing into her face." She opened one eye and peeked at Ryou. "It went about as well as you'd think."

"I'm sorry, Yuugi," Ryou said with a grimace.

"It's okay. I should've known that it wouldn't go over well. No, scratch that. I_ did_ know. I just wanted to be sure. She's my mother, you know? I really wanted to go there today and have her prove me wrong. But she was so angry at me. She said I was being selfish." The tightening of Yuugi's hand into a fist was the only evidence that this accusation bothered her. "Things are never going to be the same between us. I don't know if she'll ever forgive me for doing this."

Ryou reached out and took her hand. She couldn't think of anything else to say except, "My father called and told me he was coming for a visit."

Yuugi blinked and then frowned. "Are you worried?" she asked.

"Yes." It was an honest answer. Ryou tucked her other hand under her head to help prop herself up. "But then I think why should I be? My father doesn't care about me. Not really. He cares because he has to, because I'm his child and not caring about me is illegal and could end up with him in jail, but he doesn't love me. To him, I might as well have died on the same day as my mother and my sister. This really has nothing to do with him. I wouldn't change my mind if he reacted the same way that your mother did."

"But you're nervous," Yuugi said, and it wasn't a question. "What will you do?"

She considered the question. "Wait for him to come home. Sit him down and explain, as frankly as possible, what happened and why. Have sex with Bakura afterwards."

Yuugi laughed out loud. "Is that going to be your new cure for everything?"

"It will work, too, now that we've got the right protection." Ryou sat up and patted the covers, searching for the pharmacy bag. It had gravitated down around her feet. She grabbed it and dumped its contents out on the bed. Yuugi looked down at them blankly and Ryou smiled wickedly. "Mai was kind enough to get supplies for you and Yami."

"Oh. _Oh_." Yuugi's face flushed pink as understanding dawned.

Ryou watched her closely. "That's it? No wild protests about how you don't like Yami that way? I'm surprised. And disappointed." Yami's face had been priceless.

"Well. You know. It's _Yami_," Yuugi said, picking up one of the boxes and examining it closely. "I mean, I'm not gay. I've never really thought of any guy in that way. I still think Anzu is beautiful and Mai is hot and even Shizuka is cute. But there's something different about Yami. What we have, the bond between us, I feel like it transcends gender. If that makes sense. I just want to be with him." She let out a shaky sigh. Admitting this out loud was harder than she'd been expecting. "When he said, on that rooftop, that we were over, I wanted to die. It made me realize that I never want to be finished with him or have him be finished with me."

"And I suppose it helps that his new body is drop dead gorgeous?" Ryou said.

"Ryou!" Yuugi gave her a gentle shove and Ryou laughed.

"You know you can be close to him without doing this," she said, pointing to the boxes and the condoms. "Just because Bakura and I took that step doesn't mean you have to."

"I know that. But when I think about him being with someone else, like Anzu, I just… I don't like it. It bothers me. Maybe to the point that the two of us might have still ended up here even if I had stayed a boy." Yuugi tossed the box down and smiled wryly. "Is that a sign of true love? Being willing to turn gay for someone?"

"I have no idea, but it sounds good so I'm going to say yes." Ryou paused for a moment, thinking. Then she said, "I'm not necessarily sure that being in love with Yami makes you gay, Yuugi. Sexuality is very hard to pin down. I don't consider myself gay, either, but there is definitely something between Bakura and me. Even if it's only physical, it's still there. I mean, I slept with the guy, after all."

"Yeah, you did." Yuugi studied her. "What was it like?"

"Yuugi!"

"What? I'm curious!"

"Then go ask someone else."

"Like who? Anzu is still a virgin as far as I know, and I'm pretty sure that Mai would give me way more details than I'd ever want to know." Yuugi grinned teasingly. "Besides, you're the only one who can really tell me what it was like, since you're the only other guy turned girl around."

"God." Ryou let out a slow, embarrassed breath and shook her head. "It was... good."

"Good? That's it?"

"Let me think! Yes, good. Bakura was... I didn't know he could be that way. He was... tender." She closed her eyes for a moment. Though the night had materialized for her in a series of scattered flashbacks, she knew she would never forget the almost gentle way Bakura's hands had touched her. "It was like I was giving him a gift and he wanted to be careful with it. And when he was inside me, it was... I just felt really close to him. I think I knew then and there that everything would be alright between us." She opened her eyes, feeling a little disoriented.

Yuugi was staring at her, looking a little envious. "Did you like it?"

"Yes. I think I'll like it more now that I don't have to worry about getting pregnant," Ryou replied. It was the honest truth. She liked sex and she wanted to do it again. She looked down at the boxes and then up at Yuugi. "Are you going to talk to Yami?"

"Maybe. I don't know. Probably not." Yuugi sighed. "I'm not very good at this sort of stuff."

Ryou picked up one of the boxes and handed it to her instantly. She knew what that meant. "Maybe you should start taking these... just in case."

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Please review!


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N:** Thank you for all of the reviews. Enjoy!

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The morning had been emotionally draining, more so than Yami wanted to admit. He was relieved when they finally returned to the Kaiba mansion and he didn't have to be so on guard. Ryou disappeared upstairs even before he walked in the door, but he didn't follow. There was a limit there, after all, and it wasn't one he was willing to cross. Mai and Anzu remained outside, leaving him free to go into the living room, lured by the sound of the television. He was hoping that he would find Yuugi there, but instead he found Jou and Mokuba playing a video game. Or rather, he found Mokuba kicking Jou's butt at a video game.

"Ha! You lose!" Mokuba yelled gleefully, watching as his character began a little dance around the screen. Grinning broadly, he twisted around and looked up at Jou with a wicked little grin. "But you're getting a lot better. You must have been playing a lot of games with Yuugi. I almost lost."

"Yeah, well, next time you won't be so lucky," Jou promised, though his smile was enough to take the threat out of his comment. He picked up the controller and balanced it on his knees. "What do you think, best two out of three before your brother gets pissed off enough to kick me out?"

Mokuba chuckled. "You're on."

"Jou," Yami said before the game could begin. The two boys jumped and he realized that they'd been so deep into their fun that they hadn't even noticed he was there. "Have you seen Yuugi?"

"He and Bakura left together a couple of hours ago," said Jou. There was a strange stiffness to the words, and he didn't meet Yami's eyes. He clearly didn't like the fact that Yuugi had gone somewhere with Bakura, of all people. "He didn't tell me where they were going and I didn't ask. You can use my phone to call him if you want, but I doubt he'll pick up if he thinks it's me."

"No, that's alright. Thank you." Not sure whether he should be concerned or not, Yami went into the kitchen. It had been vacated by their other friends while Yami and Ryou were gone and was now empty. He sat down at the table and put his head in his hands, sighing. On the one hand, it was good that, wherever they had gone, Yuugi had taken Bakura along for protection. On the other hand, this _was_ Bakura they were talking about. Free from possession by Zorc or not, the chances of Bakura lifting a finger to protect anyone aside from Ryou were slim to none.

And yet, perhaps that was unfair. Bakura had changed a lot during his time in the afterlife, that much was blatantly obvious. He was still a bastard and still a thief, but he seemed to be more in touch with his emotions, much as he would vehemently deny it. The hardness in his eyes had softened minutely, just enough for Ryou to be able to get under his skin, and he seemed to be developing a new appreciation for both the presence of his hikari and life in general. Yami never would have imagined that Bakura would ever have sex with Ryou, but the evidence couldn't be denied. The thought of Bakura opening himself up to something so _intimate_ was boggling.

"I suppose we've all changed," he muttered to himself, tapping his hand on the table. A few years could do that to a man – or woman, as the case may have been. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, wondering where the two of them had gone and hoping that nothing too bad had happened.

His fear was both laid to rest and magnified in the span of the next minute. Somewhere in the house a door was thrown open violently. Yami looked up, startled, and was in the process of rising to his feet to see if there was something wrong when Yuugi came into the room with Bakura on her heels. One look at Yuugi's expression told Yami volumes about how their trip had gone. Her face was pinched, lips drawn into a thin line, and she was clearly holding back tears. She looked up at him and he didn't say a word, just held his arms out, and she ran to him. In the span of a second her arms were wound around his neck and her face was pressed against his shoulder. Bakura looked at the two of them before he turned and walked out the back door. He left it open behind him and Yami knew it was an invitation of sorts, to be taken at his leisure.

"Aibou?" he said gently after several minutes had passed. Yuugi wasn't crying but she was upset on a level that went far beyond the healing power of tears. He could think of few things that would upset her this much and he hoped none of them had come to pass. "What happened?"

"My mother," Yuugi whispered, her voice strangled. She was tense in his arms. "She wanted to see me."

Yami closed his eyes. At that moment he was relieved that he and Yuugi didn't have their mind link, because he couldn't stop the raw wave of fury that spilled through him. "I'm sorry."

"She was so angry at me," Yuugi said. The words came out muffled. "She said that I was selfish in trying to get you back." She tilted her head up, violet eyes plaintive. "Am I selfish, Yami?"

"No more so than anyone else," Yami replied gently, cupping her cheek and rubbing his thumb over her soft skin. "You deserve to be happy, Yuugi. Sometimes that means the people around you have to realize that things aren't going to go the way they'd always believed. Your mother..." He hesitated, remembering what had happened the last time he'd criticized Koto. It hadn't gone well and the last thing he wanted to do was cause more friction between he and Yuugi, not when things were finally returning to normal between them.

"It's alright," Yuugi mumbled, and she was smiling ruefully in spite of the tears that had streaked her face. "You were right after all. I probably shouldn't have gone. I understand if you're mad at me for going without you, though I did take Bakura with me so I didn't break my promise. I wasn't alone."

He sighed. "I'm not angry at you, Aibou." It was the truth. Koto, on the other hand, would find herself in the middle of a shadow game if he ever had the pleasure of meeting the woman face to face. No one had the right to upset his hikari this much. "I'm glad that you convinced Bakura to go with you. It was the safer option, all things considered."

Yuugi was still looking up at him and suddenly, she giggled. "My god, if you could've seen your face when you said that," she said, reaching up with a hand that trembled. She touched his cheek, an odd mirroring of their positions. "He's not that bad, you know."

"No, he's not, all things considered." Yami sighed, hardly able to believe he had just admitted that, and pulled Yuugi closer, tucking her securely into the crook of his arms. She fit well against him and it felt good to be able to stand there and hold her, offering her comfort in a way that he had never been able to do before. He could remember long nights spent wanting to do just this and chafing at the knowledge that he couldn't."Yuugi, I know I told you once already, but I… I'm sorry that I left."

Yuugi went stiff in his grip. "You don't have to apologize again. We're okay."

"Yes, I do. Sometimes I feel like I'll never be able to make it up to you no matter what I do," he replied bitterly, one of his fingers lightly brushing against the collar that still encircled her slender neck. "I'm going to try, though."

Her eyes were wide and brilliantly violet in the bright light. She was smiling. "You already have," she said softly. "But you're welcome to keep trying." She squeezed him tightly and then slipped free, putting a little bit of distance between them. The change was odd, disorienting, and he found himself blinking stupidly at her as she asked, "Where's Ryou? I want to talk to her."

"Upstairs," Yami said, taking in what she was wearing for the first time. The skirt and the top looked good on her but the ensemble made her look like a girl. The expression on his face must have said it all because she giggled as she disappeared out the door. He remained where he was for a long moment, trying to wrap his mind around it. He'd known Yuugi was a girl - of course he knew, he'd seen her naked - but somehow seeing her in such girlish clothing was enough to push the edge of that knowledge, especially when a small part of his mind kept trying to point out how very attractive she'd looked. He closed his eyes and gave his head a brisk shake before he turned and went out the door to join Bakura.

As expected, the Kaiba mansion had a beautiful and large backyard with both a carefully tended garden and a swimming pool. Bakura was sitting on one of the lawn chairs beside the pool, far enough back from the water that there was no danger of him falling in, but close enough that the edge of his pants had grown damp with spray from the wind. He was watching the water with a stony expression on his face and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Yami walked over and sat down on the chair beside him, sighing. Neither of them spoke or acknowledged each other for a long moment, and gradually Yami felt the stress that had been steadily building in his shoulders beginning to drain away. He tilted his head back against the chair and looked up at the sky before he spoke.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

Bakura shifted uncomfortably but said nothing for a few minutes. After a long while, he said, "There was no sign of Yami Malik but I can feel his presence hovering over us. He's hanging around, waiting for the chance to get one of them alone."

"I know," Yami said. It wasn't really all that surprising that Bakura had ignored his thanks and maybe in the end it was for the best. He didn't think it would set a very good example if they got into a conversation about how much Yami wanted to have a game with Koto. It had taken time for him to curb those dark impulses and he really didn't need Bakura's encouragement to make them flare up again. "I felt it once or twice when I was with Ryou at the mall. He's close. Closer than I'd like him to be. But never close enough that I could get a read on where, exactly, he was."

One corner of Bakura's mouth quirked up and he dipped his head. "Smart bastard," he muttered. "You know why he wanted them to change."

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me."

"Blood of a virgin," Bakura replied, snapping the words out with a cold, crisp fury that was surprising. Normally his anger ran hot. This icy rage was something Yami wasn't used to. "It's always been strong in rituals, but can you imagine... the power of a hikari? _Two_ hikaris?" He shook his head in amazement. "Where do you think your duel monster got the idea from in the first place? I'm sure that Yami Malik practically gift-wrapped the idea for the ritual and thrust it into the hands of your Dark Magician. Too bad Mahado didn't realize that virgin blood could be used in more than one ritual."

Yami felt sick. He actually, physically felt nauseous, like he might throw up. Why hadn't he put the connections together? Did Yami Malik fear them so little that he was actually willing to bring them back if it meant he got what he'd been planning? If so, it didn't bode well for the coming battle. "How did you know?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense. I know his mind works," Bakura mumbled, not sounding overly pleased about that fact. "He'd need something strong to get free of the Shadow Realm. And now he's got it." He looked at Yami and his lavender eyes were strangely flat. "That collar has to come off. So long as it's on Yami Malik will always know where we are."

"I know. I tried. It didn't work."

Bakura just stared at him and Yami understood. They would _make_ it come off. Yami Malik would not win, not at this, not when the only thing worth living for was at stake.

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Please review!


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

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Yuugi's stomach was churning with anxiety as Yami guided her to stand in the middle of the room. He and Bakura were right in front of her and both of them looked so serious that it was only making her even more nervous. She watched the two of them silently for a long moment before she couldn't take it anymore and looked at Ryou and Malik. Ryou smiled at her comfortingly, but there was no belying the stiff grip that she had on Malik's arm. More than anything Yuugi wished that she could be standing over there with them, free of this damnable collar that was causing so many problems. She reached up to touch the dark band with shaking fingers.

"Hands at your sides, Aibou," Yami said immediately. He sounded distracted. Yuugi swallowed hard and obediently dropped her hands, feeling very much on display. But it would be worth it if it meant that Yami and Bakura were able to remove the collar.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Ryou asked.

"No," Bakura said bluntly.

"Bakura!" Yami shot him a warning look and twisted so that he could look at Yuugi and Ryou and Malik at the same time. "There's no set procedure for this," he said as gently as possible. "Yami Malik's magic is wild and unpredictable. We're doing the best that we can. If this doesn't work, we're going to have to see if Seto can help us." He didn't sound very enthusiastic about that idea and Yuugi crossed her fingers, suddenly praying hard that this would work. "But it's not dangerous. Bakura and I would never do anything to hurt you, Yuugi."

There was a time when Yuugi might have doubted the truth of that, but she realized that she believed it: even Bakura's part. She took a deep breath, a little more at rest than she was before, and tilted her chin up. As once, like they had been waiting for her to give permission, two sets of eyes closed. She felt a thin shiver of shadow magic run through the air as both yamis began to concentrate. The collar pulsed and she shivered, her eyes growing wide as a set of black, smoky clouds began to grow around them. They were going into the Shadow Realm, she realized with a burst of renewed panic.

"Wait, stop!" she tried to cry, but the words seized in her throat. Yuugi squeezed her eyes as the darkness exploded around them. Instantly the band around her throat fell silent, like someone had flipped a switch. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably and she clenched them into fists in an effort to calm herself.

"Yuugi," Ryou said. A hand touched her shoulder and Yuugi jumped, trying to jerk away, only to bang into another warm body. She looked around frantically and realized that Malik and Ryou were standing on either side of her. Were they supposed to be here? It didn't really matter, Yuugi realized, because judging from the look on Ryou's face she wasn't moving. Ryou reached down and forcefully pried her fingers apart so that she could take Yuugi's hand in hers, and Malik didn't seem to mind when Yuugi grabbed onto his shirt and clung to it as hard as she could with the other.

Something shifted in the depths of the realm and all three of them tensed as one. Dark Magician materialized slowly, his features gradually solidifying as he emerged from the looming purplish clouds. He was followed by Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart, and then a great hulking beast that looked something like a gargoyle. Yuugi didn't recognize it and she eyed it nervously, but it stood back, watching silently, as Dark Magician strode over to Yami and knelt in one smooth movement. Yami opened his eyes and reached out to touch his faithful partner's shoulder. Their eyes met and then Yami smiled.

"Thank you for heeding my call," he said. "I need your help, Mahado."

Dark Magician nodded. "You have but to ask," he said in softly accented Japanese. "What do you require, my pharaoh?"

Yami gestured over his shoulder and Dark Magician turned around. Yuugi shrank back against Malik, her heart pounding even harder. She knew on an intellectual level that Dark Magician wouldn't hurt her, but all she could remember was how it had felt to have pure shadow magic trying to burn her open. Horrifying and painful on more levels than she'd known existed. A shudder wracked her body and she felt Ryou and Malik edge closer, but even their combined presence and the light magic she could feel emanating off of them didn't seem to be doing much to block out the overwhelming shadows. It was like a bad taste at the back of her mouth and a frightened whimper caught in her throat, emerging as a strangled sound. Dark Magician stopped instantly, still a good five feet away.

"It's alright, little one," he said soothingly, his deep violet eyes warm and kind. "I won't hurt you. I am your loyal servant, remember?"

Yuugi nodded. "I... You feel like he did," she choked out.

"I know. I'm sorry. If I had known, I would have come to save you." There was genuine regret in his expression and it was evident that he knew what had happened between Yami Malik and Yuugi. "That dark one is... very skilled at becoming one with the Shadow Realm. None of us were even aware that he was here until it was too late. I'm so sorry, little master. I wish that I had done better by you."

That softened Yuugi's heart. It was impossible to be frightened after that. She gently disentangled herself from Malik and Ryou and walked forward until she was standing right in front of Dark Magician. Gingerly, she reached out and wrapped her arms around his midsection. He was so tall that her head was resting against his ribs. His hand rested on the back of her head before it moved down to her neck and she felt a brief but sharp pain. In the span of one breath to the next, the collar eased its grip on her throat and she took a deep breath instinctively, marvelling at the feeling of being able to breathe without feeling restricted. Dark Magician wore a distasteful expression as he tossed the collar in the air and pointed his staff, destroying it with a burst of energy.

"Thank you," Yuugi breathed, touching her neck. The skin there felt raw and chafed, but she could feel Yami again at the back of her mind. Their bond was a pulsing blur of worry/fear/relief and she sent a reassuring wave back, wanting him to know that she was really alright. It was easier to be brave when she could feel that blazing strength.

Or at least, it was until dozens of low-level duel monsters burst out of the shadows and converged on them without warning. Yuugi cried out in surprise and threw her hands over her head. Dark Magician scooped her up protectively and used his staff to destroy several of them, while Change of Heart and Dark Magician Girl ran to protect Ryou and Malik. Yuugi wrapped her arms around Dark Magician's neck and looked around frantically, searching for Yami and Bakura, but she couldn't make out any sign of them through the brilliant flashes of magic that were flying in every direction. One of them grazed the back of her hand and she yelped in pain as her whole arm went numb.

"_Dark Magic Attack_!" Dark Magician shouted. The attack obliterated a handful of monsters all at once, leaving the path clear to Ryou and Malik. He carried Yuugi the short distance and set her down. "Leave this place," he ordered the three of them. "It's too dangerous for you to stay here. I can tell that the dark one is close and if he gets a hold of you there's no telling what he will do."

"But what about Bakura and Yami?" Ryou protested, wide eyed. Malik was silent and staring beside her, looking terrified, flinching every time one of the monsters got too close to them. He certainly didn't have any problem with leaving as soon as possible.

"We will be able to protect the pharaoh and, yes, even the thief king much easier without you here," Dark Magician replied. He was obviously struggling to be patient; his desire to protect Yami was warring with his reluctance to leave the hikaris unprotected. His hand tightened around his staff, but to his credit he didn't activate the spell to send them back without their permission. "Please, go. I promise that we will do everything we can to bring them back to you as soon as possible, little master."

"Alright," Yuugi said, surprising herself. Her initial instinct was to insist that she stay, but she knew that Dark Magician was right. Yami would be able to fight better if she wasn't around to hinder him. If he had to worry about her safety he would be distracted. She hated the thought of leaving him behind to deal with Yami Malik with only Bakura and a few duel monsters for protection, but she knew there was no point in trying to convince Yami to come with her. He'd been waiting for the chance to confront Yami Malik again. She turned towards Ryou and Malik. "He's right, Ryou. The only way we can help is by going back to the mansion and being safe. I don't like it any better than you do but…"

"No, you're right." Ryou's face was pale but her jaw was set and she looked determined. "You're right, Yuugi. Dark Magician, please send us back to the real world."

Dark Magician nodded and did something with his staff, Yuugi was never sure what. The world blurred, his staff a blazing streak of violet light against the murky gray clouds, and she shut her eyes without thinking. The next thing she heard was the distant sound of people talking and dishes clattering. Yuugi exhaled and opened her eyes, realizing that Dark Magician had sent them back to the Kaiba Mansion. Ryou and Malik were standing next to her, looking no worse for the wear, and she could feel Yami in the back of her mind, but distantly, proving that he was still a dimension away.

"We're back," she said out loud.

"Oh thank Ra," Malik muttered. His face was ashen and he looked like he was going to sick. He put a hand over his belly and croaked, "Excuse me" before he turned on his heel and bolted out of the room.

"Poor Malik," Yuugi said, turning back to Ryou. One look at the expression on Ryou's face made her wince and she reached out to put a hand on Ryou's arm. "It will be fine, Ryou. You'll see. Yami and Bakura will be back soon and I bet they'll have defeated Yami Malik." She spoke with a confidence that she didn't really feel. Inwardly she was terrified that Yami Malik's insanity would prove to be too much.

"I hope you're right," Ryou replied, twisting her arm so that she could grab Yuugi's hand. "I hate the thought of leaving them there, Yuugi. It's not right."

"I know, but it was the best decision." Yuugi wondered, briefly, if this was how Jou, Anzu and Honda had felt when they were told that they would have to stay out of the fight. If it was, no wonder Jou had made her promise to keep him informed. It wasn't very fun, being forced to stand on the sideline with no idea of how everything was going. She couldn't fathom having to spend the next few hours - or more - wondering but they had no choice.

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Please review!


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N:** Sorry for having accidentally updated the same chapter twice. It wasn't my intention, rest assured. Enjoy the _real_ chapter 41.

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They waited. Yami and Bakura never came back.

After a full day, Yuugi reluctantly left the safety of the Kaiba mansion and went back to the Kame Game Shop, where a concerned Sugoroku was more than happy to have her home. He hadn't heard from Koto, he said, and if he did he was going to tell her a thing or two. He tactfully didn't ask about Yami and Yuugi was relieved, because she knew that if she had to talk about everything that had happened she would break down into tears. The bond between her and Yami, though still active, was bitterly little compensation for having Yami himself. All she could feel through it was determination and a restless anger that never changed, and that in itself was worrying.

She got up the next morning knowing that she couldn't put it off any longer; she had to go back to school that day, regardless of whether or not she would be able to concentrate. Yuugi got dressed in her uniform and wandered downstairs. Sugoroku was in the kitchen making breakfast. It felt weird to see that the table was only set for two people instead of three, and it was weirder still to see that her grandfather was the one cooking. Usually Koto was the one who made most of their meals, just because she was really the only one who was good at it. Sugoroku had a tendency to burn anything that was more complicated than toast or eggs. She sat down at her place and wondered if this meant she was going to have to become better at cooking.

"That's a glum face," Sugoroku said, turning away from the stove. Sure enough, he had a frying pan of eggs in his hand. He spooned half of the mixture onto Yuugi's plate and the rest onto his own. "Didn't you sleep well, Yuugi?"

"As well as can be expected," Yuugi replied. The truth was that she'd tossed and turned with nightmares all night, tormented by dreams of Yami being torn apart by duel monsters while Yami Malik stood by and laughed. She looked down at her food and felt sick, realizing that she had absolutely no appetite. Sugoroku was watching her, though, so she cut a small piece and gingerly put it into her mouth. It tasted like cardboard but she forced herself to chew and swallow.

"Yuugi," he said at last. "I want you to know… if there's anything you want to talk about, I'm here for you. I promise that I will never react the way your mother did. You'll always have a home with me if you want one."

Her eyes widened. "Jii-chan…"

Sugoroku chuckled. "Now I'm not foolish enough to think you'll _always_ want to be with me," he went on, pouring ketchup onto his plate. He dabbed a forkful of eggs into it and lifted them to his mouth. "I know you were happy staying at Kaiba's house, though I'm still not sure what you see in that boy. And eventually, of course, you and Yami are going to want to move out and find a place of your own."

Yuugi nearly choked on her glass of milk. "W-What?" she sputtered.

"I might be old Yuugi but I have eyes… and ears, for that matter. The way you used to talk about him even when he was just a spirit, well… It seemed like an obvious progression," Sugoroku said, seemingly unperturbed by the idea of a romance between his granddaughter and an Ancient Pharaoh. "Yami loves you. I know the two of you will get over this little fight sooner or later. What exists between you is too strong for there to be any other conclusion." He winked at her. "I'm not saying you have to rush into anything… but when it happens I want you to know that I'll be okay with it."

"That's... that's good to know," Yuugi said faintly, knowing that her cheeks had turned bright pink. She set her fork down and stood up, pushing the chair back. "May I be excused? I want to go to school early and see if I can talk to some of my teachers ahead of time. I've missed a lot of class and I thought they might give me some make-up work."

Sugoroku didn't look fooled but he nodded. "Go ahead. I left you some money for your lunch on the counter and there's a note as well to excuse your absence so you won't get into trouble."

That surprised her. She hadn't really thought about what kind of excuse she would offer for having missed so much time. Impulsively, Yuugi stepped around the table and dropped a kiss onto her grandfather's cheek. It wasn't something that she did very often but somehow it felt like the right thing to do at that moment. "Thank you for your help, Jii-chan. I'll see you after school, okay?"

"Have a good day, Yuugi."

After picking up the money and the note, Yuugi grabbed her backpack and left the Kame Game Shop. She wasn't very surprised to see that Jou was waiting out front for her. He was leaning against the store's window, arms folded loosely, backpack slung over one shoulder, staring up at the sky. Yuugi stepped up beside him and followed his gaze, wondering what he was looking at. A billboard, she realized, for Kaiba Corp, advertising the newest duel system. She'd heard a few things about it, but she hadn't really had the opportunity to keep up with the latest news after everything had started happening.

"Think Seto will let you try one?" she asked teasingly.

Jou blinked and then shot her a smirk. "Kaiba? Yeah right. He'd probably say that he was worried I'd infect his precious system with fleas or something like that. Mokuba might. The kid's nothing like his brother." Surprisingly, Jou didn't sound bitter or angry. He actually seemed thoughtful and Yuugi looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't seem to hate Seto as much as you used to," she observed.

"Don't read anything into it," Jou advised. "The guy's still an asshole. I don't think that's ever going to change." He pushed off of the wall and started walking slowly down the street, hands tucked into his pockets. "Have you heard from Yami yet?"

Her stomach gave an uncomfortable dip. "No, not yet." She'd called Jou the night before, when she got home, and told him what happened as per their agreement. He'd been alarmed and it was only through some quick talking that she'd stopped him from showing up at their door.

"I'm really worried about him," Yuugi confessed, staring at the ground.

"Aw, I'm sure he'll be fine, Yuugi. There's no way Yami Malik would be strong enough to take Yami and Bakura down."

"Maybe not when we had the items, but now? I think Yami's power isn't as strong as it was before he went into the afterlife and Bakura is probably the same way. Yami Malik wouldn't have been able to even come close to defeating them before, but..." Yuugi let her voice trail off, knowing that if she said much more she ran the very real risk of bursting into tears. And Jou had been good enough to her on that front already. There was no need to alarm him even more.

Jou nodded silently, looking sympathetic. The two of them reached the school without saying much more and walked through the gates. Anzu, Honda and Ryou were waiting for them underneath a small cluster of trees just inside. Yuugi walked over to Ryou and stood beside her. They looked at each other and in a single glance it was like everything was communicated between them. She reached out and took Ryou's hand, holding onto it tightly, not caring that to everyone else it would look a little weird to see two "guys" holding hands. Jou, Honda and Anzu tried their best to start up a conversation but it quickly became clear that neither Yuugi nor Ryou was paying much attention.

"Why don't we go get a burger after school?" Anzu suggested finally.

"Oh," Ryou said. "Um, alright."

"Did you have different plans?"

"No, not really. I thought I might start getting the house ready for Tou-san to come home, that's all. I have a lot to do." Ryou looked down at the ground. It was obvious she wasn't looking forward to his arrival. "I have to clean everything and make sure that Amane's room is cleared up. He won't like it if he knows that Yuugi and I have been poking through her things. And I should probably cook a few meals in advance. Tou-san likes to have a home-cooked meal waiting for him. He says he roughs it while he's at work so the least I can do is make him feel appreciated while he's home." She smiled weakly.

"What are you going to tell him about…?" Honda waved a hand.

"I don't know. I suppose it's too much to hope that he won't notice. I guess I figured that Bakura would be here with me and he would make sure that it wouldn't be a big deal."

"He will be here," Yuugi said firmly. Her heart was suddenly beating furiously again. There was no way that Bakura and Yami would still be gone on Friday. That was still a few days away. They would have to be back by then, right? She hated the fact that she couldn't be certain about it, that their fate still hung in doubt.

"That's right. And even if he's not, we'll help," Anzu said comfortingly.

Ryou shot her a small smile in thanks but Yuugi knew that, however kind Anzu's offer was, it was a paltry exchange for the real thing. She squeezed Ryou's hand tightly and stopped her from following when the bell rang. Honda, Anzu and Jou started to walk towards the school but Jou stopped when he realized that Yuugi and Ryou weren't following. He glanced back at them. "Aren't you coming? You'll be late."

"I just need to talk to Ryou for a minute," said Yuugi. "Go on, Jou. We won't be late for class, I promise."

Jou didn't look convinced but he nodded and left regardless. Once he was out of earshot, Yuugi said, "Ryou, I think we should make a decision. If Yami isn't back by tomorrow I want to go after them."

"I knew that was coming," Ryou said, closing her eyes briefly. In spite of her words, she seemed relived that Yuugi had gotten it out in the open. "Yuugi, don't you think that would be too dangerous? I mean, I know how you feel. Last night was…" She pressed her lips together into a thin line before clearing her throat and continuing. "Well, last night was pretty awful, but we agreed to come back here because Yami and Bakura would be able to fight better if they didn't have to worry about us. Yami won't be very happy if he's fighting and you show up, especially if you get hurt."

"Yeah, I know, but something doesn't feel right. Yami's emotions haven't changed at all since Dark Magician returned us to the real world." Yuugi sighed. "I don't know who else to turn to, Ryou. Seto might have magic but he doesn't have enough experience with the Shadow Realm. The same goes for Isis and Rishid. I wouldn't feel right about asking Malik to confront his yami. The others don't have any magic at all and what little they've been exposed to hasn't done them much good. That leaves you and me. We might not have shadow magic but... at least we're hikaris. That's got to mean_ something_. I just can't stand here anymore and not know what's going on. It's already starting to drive me crazy and I don't know how much more I can take."

"Alright. Alright, you talked me into it, not that I needed much convincing." Ryou smiled wryly. "But I'm sure we won't have to. I bet that they'll be back by tomorrow night."

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Please review!


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N:** Once again I apologize for uploading the wrong chapter last time… Chalk it up to a lack of attention on my part. Thanks to everyone who alerted me to the error; the correct chapter was re-posted. Enjoy!

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The house was clean and she'd done what she could of the mountain of make-up work that her teachers had given her, but by the time that night fell Ryou couldn't face any more work. She closed her books and stood up from her desk, wandering downstairs and feeling unbearably lonely. After having had Bakura, Yami and Yuugi stay with her for even a little while the house suddenly seemed enormous and very quiet, even more so than before if that was possible. She walked into the kitchen and stood there for a minute, staring aimlessly at the cabinets. She wasn't really hungry. She'd made herself a sandwich for dinner earlier but she hadn't even eaten the whole thing. Most of it had ended up in the garbage.

As she turned to leave, she noticed the bags of clothing that Mai and Anzu had given her. Yuugi had gotten two as well, one for her and one for Yami, but Ryou wasn't sure what she'd done with them. It wouldn't be a good idea to leave them around where her father would seem them and ask questions, so she picked one of the bags up and dragged it up the stairs to her bedroom. She set it down on her bed and opened it, looking at the clothing inside curiously. It was her bag and surprisingly none of it was overly feminine: there were blouses, skirts, pants, tank tops, even a few bras and extra pairs of panties, all in various colors. Ryou picked up one of the bras and held it against her unbound chest just to see. It seemed like it would fit better than the one she'd been wearing before but she wouldn't know for certain until she tried it on.

She cleared out a space in the closet and started hanging the clothing up. Osamu never entered her room so she could be certain that he wouldn't notice it in there. The chances of her ever wearing any of it were slim but part of Ryou balked at the idea of throwing it out. After all, she _was_ a girl now, and it wasn't inconceivable to think that someday she might actually want to live that way. Well, maybe. She looked across the room at the mirror. Sometimes it was still hard to think that underneath the boyish attitude she still tried to affect, she was actually a girl. It was like her mind hadn't quite come to terms with the change yet.

Someone knocked on the door downstairs just as Ryou was hanging the last sweater up. She left the room and headed down the stairs. She wasn't surprised to see who it was. "Hello, Yuugi," she greeted, opening the door. The blast of cold air made Ryou shiver as she stepped back to let Yuugi enter. "I figured that you would come see me today."

"I said yesterday and they're not here," Yuugi replied, not bothering with pleasantries. She unwound the scarf that had been clasped around her throat and unzipped her jacket. Much to Ryou's shock, Yuugi was dressed as a girl in a very pretty violet sweater that matched her eyes perfectly and a pair of black jeans. Her breasts were unbound and – Ryou took a bit of a closer look – Yuugi was definitely wearing a bra. Even her hair had been brushed down again, leaving the curls hanging around her shoulders and framing her face. She didn't look overly feminine but no one would be able to mistake her for a boy. Yuugi turned from hanging her jacket up and caught sight of the look on Ryou's face. A faint flush rose in her cheeks and she frowned, looking a little embarrassed.

"You look good," Ryou said impulsively, realizing that it was true. Yuugi as a boy had always seemed short and overly cute, which had often led to people not taking her seriously, but Yuugi as a girl had a delicate quality about her that actually worked with her petite frame.

"Thanks. I don't have any regular clothes that will fit me. All Mai and Anzu bought for the two of us was girl clothing," Yuugi said with a sigh.

Ryou paused, suddenly realizing that Yuugi was telling the truth. She had that bag of clothing sitting in the kitchen for Bakura, of course, but the contents would be much too large for her, and the only things she'd found in her bag had all been for girls. "I can't believe I never thought to ask them about that," she said with a groan. "That money was supposed to be for guy clothing too. Anzu and Mai do realize that we can't just walk around as girls all the time now, right?"

"Apparently not. Jii-chan was drinking a cup of coffee when I came downstairs. He spit it out all over the inventory he was organizing." Yuugi was clearly trying to fight back a smile. "Then he asked me if I was planning on going out with Yami and if I thought I'd be home tonight."

"Oh my god," Ryou said, laughing as she grabbed Bakura's bag of clothing from the kitchen. She led the way upstairs to her bedroom. "What did you say?"

"That I didn't know if I'd be home and I'd let him know," Yuugi replied impishly. Both girls looked at each other and started laughing at the same time. "It was the truth! If we go to the Shadow Realm, I don't know when we'll be back. I was kind of hoping we wouldn't have to. I thought you might open the door and tell me that Bakura and Yami had returned after all."

"No such luck." Ryou sighed as she pushed the bag into the back of her closet. She stood up, idly rubbing her back, and looked at Yuugi through narrowed eyes. She had the feeling that there was another reason that Yuugi was dressed in girl clothing. They both had uniforms that fit, so Yuugi could have worn that if she'd been truly desperate. She remembered what Yuugi had said about pushing the fact that she was a girl into her mother's face. "You want to face Yami Malik as a girl, don't you?"

Yuugi squirmed, unprepared for this sudden bout of intuitiveness. "Well… I know it sounds crazy but he's the one who made us this way in the first place. It only seemed right. But that probably sounds stupid. If you have something I could change into, I can - "

"If we're going to go, I think it's a good idea," Ryou interrupted. She looked at herself in the mirror again for a moment. A girl dressed as a boy – it_ was_ a little bit silly when she thought about it. Trying to cling to who they used to be would not make it any easier to accept the changes. She tried to imagine the expression on Yami Malik's face if he found himself being challenged by two girls and couldn't help smirking. It wasn't like wearing that kind of clothing was going to help or hinder them.

Yuugi was watching Ryou closely and she started to smile. "Does that mean you're going to say yes?" she asked hopefully.

"I think it's a really bad idea," said Ryou honestly. But she kept remembering the awful night she'd spent, listening to silence in the house, and how good it had been to have Bakura back. There was just something about him that no one else in the world would ever be able to match. And if she went the rest of her life never knowing what had happened, always wondering if she could have helped or changed his fate, it would be like torture. She closed her eyes and rubbed a hand over her face. "I never thought I would reach the point in my life where I would be willing to risk my life to save Bakura, of all people."

"You don't have to come," Yuugi pointed out.

"I know. I want to." She turned back to her closet and picked out a pair of form-fitting jeans and a green tank top. Yuugi turned away as Ryou undressed and then re-dressed in the chosen clothing, including female undergarments. She'd say one thing for Mai and Anzu: the two of them had a gift. As she'd been expecting, everything fit perfectly, including the bra.

"I thought we would call Dark Magician Girl," said Yuugi, looking out the window. "I don't think Dark Magician would take us back but she probably will. She loves Yami… err, Atemu." She turned around and looked at Ryou. "I left a letter with Jii-chan for Jou and the others."

"You're not going to tell them?"

"No. They'll want to come and I don't think it's a good idea. It's one thing for you and me to go. I mean, we're the ones who can't… who don't want to live without Bakura and Yami. It's not fair to drag them into this, you know? Yami Malik could really hurt them if he wanted to and they don't have any protection against that." She caught the look on Ryou's face and added, "I know we don't either, technically, but at least we've actually been in the Shadow Realm and we're hikaris. We know what it's like."

It made sense, though Ryou privately thought that Jou, Anzu and Honda would be furious if they ever received that letter. She pulled her tank top down and then ran a hand through her hair. "Yuugi, are you absolutely sure about this? We could die, you know. And I mean die for real, not the kind where we come back."

"I am," Yuugi said quietly. "I thought about it a lot last night. There were times, before, when I was ready to die for Yami. I can't see how this would be any different."

Ryou stared at her for a long moment, stomach twisting. It_ was_ different, at least for her, because she'd never really felt like this for Bakura before. She hadn't known him well enough. And now she did and she wasn't quite sure what to do about that, but here was Yuugi offering her the chance to - to what? Risk their lives in an insane attempt at a rescue mission that could very well get them both killed, murdered by a psychotic yami who had already proven that he was out for their blood? She had to bite down on the bizarre urge to laugh and settled for shaking her head instead. Who was she kidding? From the moment that Yuugi had made the suggestion Ryou had been in complete agreement. They hadn't come this far only to lose their yamis now.

"You're right," she said, and Yuugi looked up at her in obvious surprise. "Come on, then."

"Are you sure?" Yuugi said.

"I think I just asked you that," Ryou kidded, grabbing an elastic from her dresser. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail so that it would stay out of her face. "Yes, I'm sure. If we're not back in time my father will kill me, and we might die anyway, but… it all comes back to the same thing, doesn't it? I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering what could've happened. If Bakura never comes back…" Just saying that made her feel heavy. "I want to know I did everything I could to prevent that."

Yuugi's violet eyes softened and she grinned. It wasn't like she was going to argue. "Dark Magician Girl!" she called out suddenly, looking away from Ryou. "Dark Magician Girl!"

It only took a moment for the shift in the air pressure to happen, the temperature to lower slightly, the world to change just a little. Ryou reached out blindly and grabbed Yuugi's hand as a brilliant flash of light went off, nearly blinding them both. When it faded and they could see again, Dark Magician Girl was standing in front of them, staff held at the ready. She was looking around the room frantically, primed for battle and clearly expecting to see some kind of monster. When she realized that there was nothing wrong she frowned and looked back at Yuugi and Ryou with a questioning expression.

"Why have you called me, little master?" she asked.

"We want you to take us to the Shadow Realm," said Yuugi. "We haven't heard from Yami or Bakura in too long. We're going after them."

Dark Magician Girl didn't seem to be overly surprised by this. "Are you sure – "

"Yes!" Ryou and Yuugi said together.

She hesitated before nodding slowly. Regardless of what her opinion was she was sworn to obey, and finally Dark Magician Girl beckoned them to step closer. "Very well. Let us go."

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Please review!


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! To answer the questions I'm getting about Yuugi and Yami, yes they will be taking the next step in their relationship soon. Enjoy!

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Yuugi fumbled for Ryou's hand and squeezed it tightly as the familiar clouds formed around them, taking away the comforting presence of Ryou's bedroom and exchanging it for the formless cold and dark. The light of Dark Magician Girl's staff eventually faded away and for a split second it seemed like she was adrift, floating in a sea of shadows that wanted to swallow her alive, and her throat closed with panic. But then another hand slipped into hers and tightened comfortingly and Dark Magician Girl spoke, her voice confident and cheerful, at rest with the realm that she was used to.

"I have to admit that I figured something like this would happen," she was saying, "and I've been trying to keep track of Mahado as best that I could just in case. I believe that he's still with your other halfs and I know the general direction in which they've gone."

"That's good," Ryou said and the relieved spark in her voice told Yuugi that Ryou hadn't thought about how they would find Bakura and Yami either. "Maybe we won't have to worry about it, though. Yami Malik might come to us if he realizes that we're here."

"He won't get you," Dark Magician Girl said determinedly. Yuugi could easily picture the stubborn thrust of her chin and had to fight back a smile.

"Thank you, Mana," she said, realizing that the idea of Yami Malik finding them was no longer as terrifying as it had been now that they were no longer alone. She fell into step behind Dark Magician Girl when the duel monster moved forward and Ryou came up behind her, forming a little chain that meant none of them would risk getting lost.

They walked for what felt like hours, until Yuugi's feet were aching and even the sneakers she was wearing were no longer comfortable. She could hear Ryou, who had forgotten about shoes entirely, hissing softly under her breath every time she came down on her left foot. The Shadow Realm never changed, although sometimes Yuugi was very aware of the fact that they were not alone. She never actually saw anyone but the shifting presence of the duel monsters around them couldn't be ignored. Dark Magician Girl didn't seem overly concerned so she tried not to think about it, but that was easier said than done.

"Who are they?" she asked when she couldn't hold back the question any longer. "Those monsters… who are they?"

"Some of them are yours or the pharaoh's, or the thief king's," said Dark Magician Girl. "They're curious about the master who treats them so gently but can fight so fiercely." Her voice was warm and soft. "The other ones are attracted by you. The light that you two give off is something different from the shadows, that's all. If you were alone…" She trailed off and paused for a moment before turning around to face the two girls. In the dark shadows her face was just visible enough for Yuugi to see her frown. "Stay close, okay?"

"Are they dangerous then?" Ryou asked, sounding a little nervous.

"No, not necessarily… some of them would be, yes, but your monsters will always try to protect you. Both of you have many friends that are loyal to you. Now, do you need - "

Whatever Dark Magician Girl was going to ask was lost to Yuugi in a confusing, consuming deluge of pure emotions. It flooded down the bond from Yami, a maelstrom of confusion/fear/pain/anger/bewilderment/terror, and she gasped at the intensity, her knees giving out. She tried to push back against it - this was the first time his emotions had changed since he'd disappeared and she was desperate to ask if he was alright - but it was so powerful, so_ overwhelming_, that her tentative emotions were swept away before she could send anything through. She gasped for breath and tried to wait it out. And then, suddenly -

\Aibou!\

Yami's voice was so loud in her head that Yuugi winced. /Yami?/ she said, and even her mental voice sounded shaky. It had been so long since they were able to speak mentally that she'd almost forgotten what it was like. She sat back on her heels and closed her eyes to better focus. /Yami is that you? Can you hear me?/

\You have to leave. What are you doing here? Why would you put yourself in that kind of danger?\ His voice was accompanied by a rough edge of blinding panic.

/I came to help you!/ Yuugi cried. /You've been gone for over two days. I thought that Yami Malik might be hurting you. Mana is with us and I'm not leaving until I know that you and Bakura are safe. Where are you? What's he doing to you? Yami?/ She waited, her heart pounding, praying that he would be able to answer her.

But there was nothing and gradually the bond between them felt faint again, with only a dull impression of Yami coming through. His presence felt weak, faded, and it took her a moment to realize that he was sleeping – or, more likely, that he'd been knocked out. Fresh fury swept through her and she opened her eyes, realizing that Ryou was kneeling right beside her. Ryou looked as upset as Yuugi felt and she knew that something similar had happened between her and Bakura. Dark Magician Girl was standing protectively over them, surveying the shadows with an air of calm that didn't seem to fit the situation. Yuugi put a hand to her head, feeling dizzy.

"He's gone," she said hoarsely. "He was there for a few seconds but…"

"Bakura too," said Ryou.

"But you can feel them now?" Dark Magician Girl twisted to look at them. "You couldn't before, correct? It must be the fact that we're in the Shadow Realm, combined with the fact that we're getting close to where they are. I wonder…" She trailed off and walked a slow circle around Yuugi and Ryou, a thoughtful expression on her face. After a moment she extended her staff and began waving it back and forth, murmuring something under her breath. A glitter-like substance began falling from the edge of her staff, raining down over Yuugi and Ryou. It was so light that Yuugi barely felt it but it made her nose itch and she sneezed.

"Bless you," Ryou said automatically and then she gasped. "What the…"

Yuugi looked around and immediately saw the reason for Ryou's surprise. Stretching out of Yuugi's stomach was a white cord. It was pretty solid and thick, about the width of two fingers, and it extended out into the darkness. There was something similar coming from Ryou. "What is this?" Yuugi asked, awed, not quite daring to touch the cord.

Dark Magician Girl grinned proudly. "A physical manifestation of your bond," she chirped. "We can follow it to the pharaoh!" She dropped her staff, which vanished before it hit the ground, and reached out and grabbed Yuugi and Ryou by the hands, easily pulling both of them to their feet. Yuugi swayed a little, still dizzy, as Dark Magician Girl stepped forward. "From what I've been told the cord will get thicker the closer we get. Let's not waste any more time!"

"So wait, you've never actually seen one of these before?" Ryou asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "You've only heard of them?"

"Mahado has told me about all kinds of spells that I've never used," she confessed. "His skills are much more developed than mine are. Though my magic has grown over the years and I'm far more advanced than I was in Khemet, we don't exactly have access to new spells here. Sometimes we can create new spells if we want something badly enough and that's what I just did. But that's why I couldn't do it as soon as we got there. I had to wait until your bonds were working again so that I had something to work off of."

"Why weren't our bonds working before?" Yuugi asked. Now that she knew they were getting closer her feet no longer ached and she was able to keep up with Dark Magician Girl easily.

"Magic is complicated," was all that Dark Magician Girl would say. She was concentrating hard on the bonds and suddenly she stopped, so abruptly that Yuugi and Ryou nearly ran into her. The cords had thickened, becoming the width of Yuugi's wrist, and she pointed at something just ahead of them. Yuugi squinted and felt a chill go down her spine.

"Is that..."

"The graveyard," Dark Magician Girl confirmed grimly. "That must be where Yami Malik is keeping them. It figures, I suppose. No one who was looking would ever think to look there and no duel monster with an ounce of sanity would wander across them."

It looked like a desolate place. The graves were in horrible condition, many of them falling apart, and dead trees were everywhere. All of the grass was dying and had turned an ugly grey color, and the stone path was badly chipped with great chunks missing in some places. A cold wind blew and brought with it an awful decaying stench and a dull rattling sound. Worse yet it seemed to stretch on for miles, just one long place of endless death. Yuugi shivered. "Where does it go? What's on the other side?"

"I don't think anyone has ever gone that far in," said Dark Magician Girl somberly, with none of her usual enthusiasm. "Few duel monsters come here unless they absolutely have to. I've never heard of anyone making it all the way through to the other side. But… there are rumors that this is the end of the Shadow Realm."

"That would make sense," Ryou murmured. "The end of the Realm would be where everything comes to die." She drew in a deep breath before taking a step forward. It took a lot for her face to remain composed when her feet hit the slimy grass but she managed it, and the cord grew even brighter when she was all the way in. "Come on, Yuugi."

It was the last thing Yuugi wanted to do but she forced herself to follow. Dark Magician Girl hovered silently behind them as they made their way into the depths of the graveyard. Yuugi estimated that they had been walking for about twenty minutes when the cords suddenly faded away and Dark Magician Girl sprang forward, dragging the two of them behind the nearest tree. The reason for her strange actions immediately became clear when a duel monster floated by, but it wasn't dead. It was a long, dark green, snake-like creature with a tail and several razor-sharp blades sticking out of its body.

"Lord Poison," Yuugi murmured in Ryou's ear, recognizing the creature from the duels with Yami Malik. "It can spew a toxic gas from its mouth that can kill a person within a minute."

"Dark Magic Attack!" Dark Magician Girl yelled, leaping out from behind the tree. Lord Poison dodged the attack and spun to face her, mouth bared in a horrifying smile of fangs. "Run!" she yelled at Yuugi and Ryou. "I'll attract his other monsters here. You two go!"

Though she was reluctant to leave Dark Magician Girl behind, Yuugi nevertheless obeyed the order. She and Ryou started running in the opposite direction. Gradually the sounds of the battle faded behind them and only then did Yuugi stop, bending nearly double to put her hands on her knees as she panted for breath. Doing so allowed her to get a good look at the state of Ryou's feet. They were bruised and bloody from running on the cracked stone and Yuugi winced in sympathy. She tore two strips of fabric off of the bottom of her shirt and went down on one knee, gently winding them around each foot.

"It's okay," Ryou said.

"No it's not." She tied them tightly and smiled wearily. "You might need to run on the way out, too."

Ryou's lips twitched at the comment but she didn't smile. Instead, she looked at something over Yuugi's head and after a moment Yuugi turned around to see. There was a portal a handful of feet away from them: a shining crimson mass in the middle of the wall of the Shadow Realm. As soon as Yuugi saw it she knew what it was. Yami Malik's hide out. They didn't need to see the cords to know that Yami and Bakura were inside. She stood up and took Ryou's hand again and without saying a word the two of them walked inside.

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Please review!


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N:** Hmm I think this chapter will be a highly popular one. I know I certainly had loads of fun writing a certain part of it. Enjoy!

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Yami Malik was one of those creatures that were about on par with the monsters that little children imagined hid under their beds at night, except worse because he was real. Born from the pain and helpless fury of an abused child, he was cold and cruel and insane, something that was _never _meant to have a physical form. He could be a good strategist when the situation called for it and he was a ruthless master, but for all of his intelligence and depravity there was one lesson that he had not yet learned about the world. And as it turned out, that's exactly how Yuugi and Ryou were able to catch him off guard.

Everything inside of the portal was red and it was making Yuugi's headache worse. She ducked her head and shook it hard before looking up again and blinking. They were standing in the middle of a long corridor that seemed to stretch endlessly in both directions, regardless of whether she looked backwards or forwards. Hours of walking hadn't gotten them anywhere and Yuugi didn't know if she could take another step without resting. "I need to stop, Ryou," she said weakly. "I have to... My legs actually hurt. Like they_ really_ hurt."

Ryou nodded. "I'm alright with that," she said, sinking down onto the ground where she'd been standing. The bandages could only do so much and the bottoms of her feet were cut and swollen and throbbing. She pulled her right foot into her lap and gently her finger down the heel, grimacing from the pain. Without thinking she put her left hand out in order to balance herself as she stretched her leg back out. Yuugi was never quite sure what Ryou hit or maybe it was just a freak coincidence, but in any case the floor dropped out from underneath them without warning, sending them plummeting into a dark abyss.

It took everything Yuugi had to not scream out and let Yami Malik know that they were there on the off chance he didn't know. She bit her lip hard and tried to keep her eyes open but it didn't help. Her bottom hit something hard that curved sharply and suddenly they were whizzing through the darkness, and she realized that they were on a slide of some kind. A breathless laugh escaped her and she threw her hands out for balance as the slide plummeted, then twisted and looped, and then finally came to an abrupt stop, sending her tumbling head over heels onto what felt like some kind of stone walkway. A moment later Ryou crashed into her and they both let out startled gasps.

"Ow," Ryou said after a long pause. "Oh god, sorry Yuugi." She rolled off of her friend and swung her legs around, sliding them underneath her body until she was sitting on her heels. "What was that?"

"Apparently Yami Malik is a fan of funhouses," Yuugi muttered. Oddly enough it fit in a weird, twisted way. That creature did take joy in other people's terror and misery, after all. She groped around until she found the wall and used it to help get to her feet. Her hand brushed against something and she froze for a long second before realizing what it was: a switch. Cautiously, not sure what to expect, she pressed down on it, half prepared for the floor to drop out from underneath them for a second time.

Instead, the space lit up with a brilliant light that made her eyes ache after the stark darkness. She shielded her eyes instinctively, realizing that the switch had actually lit about a dozen torches all at once. She immediately forgot about the bright lights when she realized what they could see. Yami and Bakura were lying in opposite corners of the room. Both of them were shackled to the wall with thick chains around wrists, ankles, and waists, and both of them were unconscious. Bakura's face was turned away, but Yami was facing them and she could tell from the blood that had seeped down his face and dried in an ugly rivulet along his cheek that his sleep was not a natural one.

"My god," Yuugi said softly, horrified. She took a step forward, not even thinking about the possibility of traps, just knowing that she had to get to Yami as soon as possible. She didn't even remember crossing the floor between them. It seemed like one moment she was across the room and the next she was on her knees beside him, one shaking hand stretched out to brush a wayward blond curl out of his eyes. His skin was cold to the touch and instinctively she pressed her fingers to his lips. The slight exhalation told her that he was breathing, but only just barely.

Ryou was kneeling next to Bakura by then and from the frown on her face she'd found something similar. "He's alive," she said, relief evident in her voice. "But he's not in very good shape." With a practiced move she ran her fingers down his chest and her frown deepened when Bakura moaned in pain and tried to shift away. "I think... he might have broken ribs. A cracked one at the very least."

"How can you tell?" Yuugi asked.

"My mother showed me once. She broke her ribs when I was small," Ryou replied absently, pulling Bakura's shirt up and inspecting the livid bruising that had spread across his thighs and stomach. "She was trying to carry a bunch of boxes down the stairs and she tripped and fell, landed right on top of them. The doctor said she was lucky she hadn't broken her neck. I was curious about why she was walking so oddly and she took me to the library and taught me all about first aid and how to tell if someone is injured." She looked up. "Yuugi, I don't think we should move them."

"You're probably right, but…" The alternative, leaving them where they were, didn't sound like a good idea either. No help was going to be coming, considering where they were, and they were probably pushing their luck as it was. It was a wonder Yami Malik hadn't stumbled across them yet. "We haven't got a choice. We've got to get them out of here so that we can go back to the real world."

"You're right. You're right." Shaking her head, Ryou stood up. She tugged gently at the chains that were locking Bakura to the wall and sighed helplessly. "Okay now I wish I had been paying attention all those times that Bakura was picking locks."

Yuugi smiled. "You stay here. I'll take a look around. Maybe Yami Malik was stupid enough to leave the keys lying around." It was hard to leave Yami but she forced herself to do it. The room was large, bigger than she would have expected, and when she was at the far end it was a strain on her eyes to make out what Ryou was doing. She found the keys in the furthest corner of the room, half-hidden in a splotch of shadow where the light didn't reach. She only noticed them because of a reflection off of the rusted metal. She picked them up and hurried back to the others.

"You found them!" Ryou exclaimed. She furrowed her brow and looked worried. "That… was awfully easy, don't you think?"

"Yes." Yuugi knelt and stuck the key into the lock on the chains that were on Yami's wrists. The key turned easily and the chains slipped away, landing with a high-pitched sound on the floor. The chains around his waist and ankles quickly followed and then she threw the key over to Ryou so that Bakura could be freed. Yami stirred when she reached down and cupped his face in her hands and Yuugi's heart skipped a beat so hard that she felt breathless.

Slowly, Yami's eyes opened. He stared up at her for a couple of seconds with a dazed look in his eyes and at first it didn't look like he even knew who she was. Yuugi swallowed hard and tried on a tentative smile and only then did recognition flash across his face. "Aibou?" he mumbled, the question heavy, like he was fully expecting to be told that he was wrong.

"It's me," she whispered. Unexpected tears filled her eyes, though she refused to let them fall. It was just such a_ relief_ to know that he was alright.

Yami's head tilted into the trembling palm of her hand and his eyes fluttered shut again. He took a deep breath, his body shaking with the movement, before he let out in a sigh. "You're crying," he murmured, his lips brushing against her skin. "I told you to make a run for it while you could."

Yuugi let out an odd sound that was a half laugh, half sob and shook her head. "And leave you here? After everything I went through to get you back the first time? Yami, I couldn't and you know that. I'd rather…" She stopped, suddenly realizing what was going to come out of her mouth, before shakily finishing her sentence. "I'd rather die with you then have to live without you again."

"Yuugi…" Yami stared up at her, crimson eyes wide and a little shocked. "That's not going to happen. I won't…" He stopped and gritted his teeth, using his hands to push himself up into a sitting position while she helped as best that she could. It brought their faces very close together but Yuugi didn't move away. "You shouldn't have come," he said lowly. "Yami Malik is more dangerous than even I could have guessed. He wants you and Ryou… and if his plan is carried out then the whole world is going to be plunged into darkness. We have to leave _now_."

"We will," Yuugi said, instinctively holding out her arms when he went to stand up and stumbled, caught off guard by the unexpected weakness in his legs. He fell against her, steadying himself on her shoulders, and she grabbed his hips. "We're going to leave, the four of us, together." She sounded so determined that when he looked at her he had to smile just a little. One of his hands came up and cupped her cheek, thumb brushing away the solitary tear that had escaped and trickled down her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I'm sorry that I scared you, little one. I seem to be doing that a lot lately, I know, and it's not fair to either of us."

She couldn't say that it didn't matter because it did, but she still managed a smile. "It's okay. But that is the last time I'm _ever_ leaving you behind, Yami. I can't sit at home and wonder if you're going to be alright. From now on I want to be with you at your side where I belong. I didn't go through this," she waved a hand to indicate her body, "just so that we could stop depending on each other."

His lips twitched in a faint smile, his expression soft and warm in spite of the danger, and she knew what was coming before he did it. She did nothing to stop it, just tilted her head back fractionally in a welcoming stance and allowed him to close the distance between them. It was a very light kiss and she kept her eyes open the whole time, meeting his intent gaze. He pulled back slightly and Yuugi licked her lips and he was still so close that her tongue brushed his lower lip as well. Yami's eyes widened a little at the brief touch and Yuugi blushed, though she boldly repeated the motion, this time deliberately sliding her tongue across his lip before she leaned up and kissed him again, a little longer this time.

"Yami," she said softly, not for any reason, just because she could. He grinned and pulled her close, not for support but because he wanted to hug her. It was achingly short when she could have stayed in the circle of his arms forever but they couldn't forget the danger of Yami Malik and both of them understood that. He kissed her on the tip of her nose and then once more on her mouth before pulling away.

"Let's go," he said, taking her hand and intertwining their fingers together. Yuugi felt warm all the way down to the tips of her toes. She smiled and nodded.

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Please review!


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N:** I should tell you that we're starting to get closer to the end of the story. I'm not sure how many chapters are left. We'll have to see. Enjoy!

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Ryou's only warning that Bakura was waking up was the subtle stiffening of his ankle under her fingers. She looked down at his foot for a long moment before moving her eyes up to his face, which still appeared to be as smooth and calm as when he'd actually been asleep. A small, amused smile crossed her face and she continued with her work, sticking the key into the lock and twisting it. The bar snapped open and she pulled it away, gently rubbing the angry red mark that had been left behind. She repeated the action on his other foot and by that time his eyes were open, watching her intently.

"Alright?" she asked softly, even though the chances that Yami Malik didn't know that they were there were slim to none. She set his foot down on the floor and slipped up beside him. They didn't have much time - she could tell that Yami was awake now too - which meant she had to get Bakura on his feet as quickly as possible. "Do you think you can stand?"

"I'll be fine," he muttered, which wasn't exactly an answer. He was still studying her and when she was close he reached out and grabbed her wrist, rubbing his thumb over the softer skin on the inside curve like he wanted to feel her pulse. It took a minute for Ryou to understand that that's exactly what he was after: he was checking to make sure that she wasn't a hallucination or illusion. She smiled a little and waited patiently until he glanced up at her again, the circle of his fingers becoming a little looser.

"It's me. I did come to save you," she said, amused. "Don't ask me why. I'm afraid that's an answer I don't have yet myself." It was one of those comfortable lies that they both knew the answer to without it having to be spoken. Bakura knew damn well why she was there; Ryou was making no effort to stop her feelings, complicated though they might have been, from sliding through their bond. And even as fractured as it was from the Shadow Realm and their time apart, he had to understand whether he wanted to or not.

"You should've stayed away," he said. His voice sounded faintly raspy. "Yami Malik is looking for sacrifices so that he can escape the Shadow Realm."

She couldn't deny the shiver that ran down her spine. "Virgin?" she asked, making a concentrated effort to keep her voice sounding lighthearted. "I'm afraid he's going to be disappointed on that front, at least with me." It was the first time she'd mentioned having sex with him _to_ him and she was genuinely surprised by how comfortable it felt. "Though it means we should get Yuugi out of here."

"Not virgin," Bakura replied, dropping her wrist and placing a hand on her tummy instead. His thumb moved in absent circles but she was too distracted to really pay any attention. Bakura actually looked _worried_. "That doesn't matter. There's an ancient Egyptian ritual that has to do with a woman's ability to give birth. Fertility was considered to be very important. He wants to use that so that he can be given life and not have to depend on Malik."

"And that's why we're girls," Ryou said flatly, understanding crashing over her in a cold wave. Yami Malik was smarter than she had ever given him credit for. He'd found a ritual for life that would also give him the opportunity for revenge and Yuugi and Ryou had fallen for it hook, line and sinker.

Bakura nodded. Just the simple act of speaking seemed to have left him exhausted. "By getting you to give up being male to get us back he has you right where he wants you."

"Fuck," she mumbled, realizing that he'd actually been a step ahead of them the whole time. No wonder he hadn't been all that concerned when Yami and Bakura showed up! He'd been expecting it. Bakura was right, they really had to get out before Yami Malik realized they were here, if he didn't know already. She got up onto her knees and leaned over him and he seemed to understand what she was doing.

Slowly, he sat up, supported by Ryou's arms. He stopped when he was in an upright position, pale face pinched from pain that he hadn't felt in years. Ryou paused, realizing that there was no way she was going to be able to get him up on his feet alone, but at that moment Yami appeared next to her with Yuugi. Without saying a word Yami bent down and put his hands on Bakura's shoulders, and between the two of them they were able to lift Bakura to his feet. Bakura swayed slightly, gritting his teeth from the pain, and leaned heavily against Ryou for a couple of seconds before he carefully straightened his back.

"Let's go," he said, taking a step forward. Ryou watched him carefully but it didn't seem to cause him too much pain to move. He was cautious though, one arm wrapped protectively around his right side, and she wished that there was something she could do for him.

"He'll be alright," Yuugi said quietly. "The best thing we can do is get out of here as fast as possible. Seto's doctors will be able to make him feel a lot more comfortable."

Ryou knew she was right, though it didn't really make her feel any better. She fell into step beside Bakura, not quite supporting him, but there in case he stumbled or tripped. Yami and Yuugi moved in front of them with Yami in the lead just in case something attacked them. It turned out that the exit was hidden in the same corner where Yuugi had found the key. All Yami had to do was use a touch of his shadow magic on the wall and a portal appeared, only this one was a deep blue color. He stepped through and the other three followed. They were in another corridor, this one lined with endless doors, and when Ryou glanced over her shoulder she saw another door where the portal had been.

"_Don't_ open any of those doors," Yami said. There was a note of something in his voice that made Ryou pause. She really didn't like it when Yami sounded like that.

"Um," she said slowly, "not that it really matters but where are we?"

"Yami Malik's soul room," Bakura said simply. "Or at least, what would pass for a soul room when it comes to something that has no soul."

Yuugi looked horrified and Ryou swallowed. Her first reaction was to scream in disgust and vacate the premises immediately but she controlled the urge in light of the fact that she had no idea which way to go. She cast a second look at the doors, suddenly wondering what might be behind them. Knowing Yami Malik, the sight would be more than enough to traumatize even the strongest person. She shuddered and stepped closer to Bakura so that their shoulders were brushing with every step and took his arm. He, in turn, shot her a small smirk but allowed her to hold on.

"Do you know where we're going?" Yuugi asked, looking at Yami.

"I can feel Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl," Yami said. "Neither one of them were brought here with us. I can sense - they're still in the Shadow Realm. The connection gives me a rough idea of which way we should go." He didn't sound particularly inspired and Ryou didn't blame him. She would have much preferred a glowing path with clear-cut arrows and signs pointing the way out.

They walked for a long time. It was gradually starting to get darker and when Yuugi reached a hand backwards Ryou didn't hesitate to reach forward and take it. She felt safer when the four of them were in some kind of contact, though it didn't last long. In spite of the fact that they were walking through enemy territory none of them were prepared for the blast of raw magic that came out of no where. Ryou felt the sharp jolt of magic lifting her off of her feet and bit her lip to hold back a cry as she was slammed backwards into the wall. Bakura wasn't so lucky; he let out a moan of agony and slid down the wall, face ashen.

"Bakura!" Ryou cried, falling to her knees beside him. Her voice was muffled by the loud, familiar laughter that began to echo. It sounded maniacal and Ryou flinched, remembering the last time she'd heard it. She'd been so alone then and she remembered desperately wishing that Bakura could be with her. Well, this time he was here but he didn't look like he was ready to fight. Neither did Yami, who was crouched on the ground in a ball beside Bakura with beads of sweat falling down his face, panting in pain.

She and Yuugi exchanged a long look and then, as one, they both stood up in front of their yamis. Yami Malik's laughter grew louder and distinctly more mocking before cutting off abruptly. Ryou grabbed Yuugi's hand as the lights went out, plunging them into darkness for a split second before they flashed back on and revealed Yami Malik standing less than a dozen feet away from them. In the dark, blood-colored lights he looked wild, half-crazed, with a broad grin that showed off a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. His eyes were gleaming and he was holding a dagger of some kind. He noticed her attention on the knife and smirked.

"This was the blade I used on my weak hikari's father," he told them, lifting it into the air. He moved it around slowly, letting the light reflect off of the surface. It was made from some shiny, coppery-colored metal and Ryou felt her stomach contract with fear. The tip of it was coated with rust, something that looked suspiciously like dried blood. "I killed him slowly. It was so much fun to slide the blade into his flesh and hear the way he cried out in agony. He begged me to stop, you know, but no one came to his rescue. Everyone wanted him to die; I was just the only person strong enough to do it."

"You're not strong," Yuugi said quietly, and the only sign that she was terrified was the way her hand tightened around Ryou's. "You're just a weak monster that tries to prey on the strength of others."

Yami Malik smirked. "Brave words from a little hikari that was stupid enough to fall for my plan," he taunted. "So eager to get your beloved other half back that you never stopped to question the ritual you were partaking in." He put the knife up to his mouth and very slowly stuck his tongue out, drawing it up the blade, lapping at the dried blood like it was a delicious treat.

Ryou thought she was going to be sick. She swallowed hard. "You don't belong here," she said, her voice raspy. "Malik never meant to create you, not really. He was just a child and he didn't know what he was doing. We're not going to let you destroy the world, so why don't you just go away!"

He looked at her and laughed like she'd said something particularly amusing, and then he lunged forward, knife held in an upright position. Ryou flinched and threw her free hand up to shield her face, knowing that they couldn't move because then Bakura and Yami would be left unprotected. She felt a tug from somewhere deep inside of her, a feeling not unlike the one that had gone through her when Dark Magician Girl materialized the bond between her and Bakura, and there was a flash of brilliantly white light that left her blinded. She blinked rapidly in an effort to see past the white spots and heard Yuugi gasp.

Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart were standing in front of them.

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Please review!


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N:** I really hope that no one will be disappointed by this chapter. It was done deliberately, I assure you. I just think Yami Malik is this kind of villain. Enjoy!

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At their sudden appearance of the duel monsters Yami Malik actually stopped, his mouth falling open into a little round circle in surprise. He stared hard at the two of them, like he was expecting them to vanish as swiftly as they had come, but they weren't going anywhere. Dark Magician Girl held up her staff in a way that indicated she was ready to attack should he attempt to attack again and Change of Heart was standing stiffly, hands clasped tightly against her chest, eyes narrowed. Yuugi exchanged a long look with Ryou, wondering how the two monsters had come to be there.

"Pitiful," Yami Malik said at last, sounding scornful. "_This_ is what you have to offer against me?" He waved a hand at Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart. "You've summoned monster and they're weak. You think that they will be able to stop me?"

"Yes," Yuugi said simply and closed her eyes. She tried to remember how it had felt when Dark Magician Girl appeared, that strange feeling of power that was like Yami's shadow magic but different at the same time. Slowly the feeling came back to her, starting low in her belly and working its way out and down and up until her whole body was tingling, like her limbs had fallen asleep. She inhaled and exhaled slowly and felt more than saw Ryou do the same until their breathing had fallen into synchronisation, until even their heartbeats were beating together.

"You have no place here," said Ryou quietly. "You don't belong here, not on Earth or in the Shadow Realm. It was wrong for us to send you here because you're a taint on both worlds."

Yuugi opened her eyes and looked up at the same time as Ryou did. She felt calm and poised, knowing exactly what to do for once. Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart felt the change, looked at each other and nodded. They moved at exactly the same time, just as Yami Malik started to lunge towards them. Change of Heart darted out of the way and swept around behind him. Before he could turn, she moved forward, smoothly merging with him so that he no longer had control of his body. And then she just stood there, looking at Yuugi and Ryou calmly, and it was utterly disorienting to see Yami Malik with that sweet little smirk on his face.

"Beaten by two girls," Yuugi remarked shakily, knowing that Yami Malik would be able to see and hear her even if he couldn't actively respond. She knew that this was the end. Not even Yami Malik would be able to push aside Change of Heart's unique power. "You should know something, Yami Malik." Her lips formed a cold smile. "Regardless of what was behind the ritual that Ryou and I undertook, neither of us regrets it. I'm glad that I played into your plan. It was worth it to get Yami back."

There was a muffled roar of anger in response and Yami Malik writhed, trying to free himself, but it was too late. Dark Magician Girl held up her staff. "Dark Magic Attack!" she shouted and a great blinding pulse of light leapt from the tip and striking Yami Malik squarely. He screamed in pain and thrashed, trying to get out of the way, but Change of Heart held firm and his form began to flicker like a bad television reception. And then, suddenly, he vanished, leaving no trace of him behind.

Slowly the red world around them began to fade into the murky, ghostly graveyard of the Shadow Realm. Yuugi had never been so relieved to see it. She passed a shaking hand over her face and looked blankly at Ryou. "Did that really just happen?" she asked in mild disbelief. After all that, a simple attack had ended Yami Malik and all because he'd been so overconfident, so convinced that she and Ryou were powerless weaklings who would never be able to fight back. He'd basically been the instrument of his own demise.

"I think so," Ryou said hesitantly, dropping back down beside Bakura. He was unconscious now, his face white and strained from the pain, and she put a hand on his forehead, testing for a fever. It was a bit warmer than she would have liked. "He's gone... isn't he?"

"Yes," Dark Magician Girl said with satisfaction, lowering her staff at last. "Yami Malik was never as smart as he believed he was, you know. If we had been simple duel monsters there's a chance that his plan would have worked but he forgets that Mahado and I were alive during Khemet. Mahado in particular did a lot of research when it came to ancient rituals. They used to fascinate him." She looked at them and winked. "Let's just say that we were planning our _own_ ritual to get rid of him before he had gathered the necessary power to be a real danger."

"You knew this was going to happen," Yuugi said, staring at her. "From the beginning?"

"Not all of it. We didn't know the pharaoh and the thief king would be kidnapped." Dark Magician Girl looked apologetic and unhappy. "Or that you would be. I apologize for that. It was an oversight on our part and we should have been guarding you more closely. As it is..." She shrugged, the gesture an oddly human one that looked a little out of place. "Yami Malik had the capacity to ruin the world and we needed your help to get rid of him. We thought it would end much sooner than this and for that I'm sorry. There is still much I need to explain to you but I suggest that we leave the Shadow Realm while we can, before any other monsters get ideas."

That sounded fine to Yuugi. She temporarily set aside the questions that were flooding through her mind and knelt beside Yami, who had also passed out. "Let's go. Yami and Bakura need to be seen by doctors. Can you take us back to Seto's house?"

Dark Magician Girl nodded. "I can try," she said. Her fingers tightened around the handle of her staff and a wave of light came from the end, much softer and warmer than one that had obliterated Yami Malik. Yuugi kept her eyes open this time and saw the landscape shift and change, melting into something much more familiar and welcome. As per her request, they were back at the Kaiba mansion. The spell had landed them in the backyard just beyond the gate.

It was warm and sunny outside, the breeze bordering on cool, and Yuugi lifted her face to the air, relishing the sunlight. "God that feels good," she said to no one in particular. After spending so much time in the Shadow Realm, she'd been starting to think that she wouldn't ever feel warm again. She sat down on the grass and ran her hand over the tiny green blades, smiling at the way that they tickled her palm.

"Uh-oh," Ryou said suddenly. Yuugi turned to look at her, surprised, and Ryou pointed. Their appearance had clearly been noted, because a couple of security guards were running towards them. One of them was speaking rapidly into a radio. Neither one looked overly happy. "Dark Magician Girl, you better get out of here. I don't think they'll take too kindly to your presence."

"But I have to talk to you and it's important."

"We'll talk later," Yuugi said, getting to her feet. She wondered what the likelihood was of the guards letting them talk to Seto before they were kicked out. It probably wasn't high, and a duel monster that didn't take kindly to her master being threatened was not going to help matters. "Really, I promise. As soon as we get Yami and Bakura settled I'll summon you and you can talk for hours. Just, please…?"

Dark Magician Girl let out a reluctant huff and nodded. In the next breath she vanished, leaving nothing behind to indicate she'd ever been there. One of the guards let out a shout of surprise and pulled something out of his pocket, pointing it at the two girls like he was afraid that they would disappear next. "Don't move!" he yelled sternly.

Yuugi held her hands up in the air, feeling a little foolish. "Look, we're friends of Seto's," she said. Well, perhaps 'friends' wasn't necessarily the best term, but it sounded a lot better than 'occasional enemy'. "If you could just let us talk to him - "

"No one gets near Kaiba-sama without special permission."

"Fortunately they have it." The sound of Mokuba's voice was unexpected but welcoming nevertheless. He had approached from the direction of the mansion without anyone else noticing and now he folded his arms, staring at the two guards with a frown. "Yuugi and Ryou are welcome here at any time," he said firmly. "Put your taser away and help us get these two inside." He gestured towards Yami and Bakura.

"Yes Mokuba-sama," one of the guards said, looking a bit confused but hurriedly stuffing the box back into his pocket. The other one took out his radio and spoke into it, and a moment later a couple more guards emerged from the guardhouse and walked over to them. Between the four of them, they managed to pick Yami and Bakura up and carry them into the house without too much trouble. Yuugi, Ryou, and Mokuba brought up the rear, following the small group up to the second floor guest room, which had a king-sized bed more than large enough to fit the two teens. Once they were gone, Mokuba turned to look at Yuugi and Ryou.

"I called the doctor as soon as I saw you," he said. "He should be here any minute. What happened?"

"Yami Malik is dead," Yuugi told him, sinking down onto the side of the bed. Now that they were out of danger she felt incredibly tired and the space on the bed between Yami and Bakura, large enough for her and Ryou to fit easily, was looking incredibly appealing. She couldn't think of anything she wanted more.

Mokuba's eyes widened slightly. "You killed him?"

"Ryou and I did with the help of Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart."

"Wow." Mokuba looked impressed and then concerned. He glanced at Ryou, who was perched on the end of the bed with her head in her hands. "Are you okay?"

"We will be," Yuugi said carefully, not really wanting to get into it too deeply. She was about to ask him how their friends were doing when there was a knock on the door. A moment later three people entered: a young man and two women. The two women immediately went over to Bakura and Yami and began checking them over while the man approached Ryou and Yuugi. Yuugi pointed him over to Ryou, who was in worse shape considering the state of her feet, and waited for her own turn.

Within an hour the diagnosis had returned. Ryou's feet had been cleaned and bandaged and she'd been instructed to stay off of them for as much as possible in the next twenty-four hours or until the swelling went down. Yuugi had badly sprained her wrist at some point - she didn't even remember when - and both of them had some extra cuts and bruises from being tossed around so much. Bakura hadn't broken any ribs, but he'd severely bruised them and would need to take it easy until it didn't hurt anymore. Yami had a bad concussion and then were some knife wounds on his back and stomach that had to be cleaned and given stitches. Really the two of them should have been in the hospital, but Yuugi and Ryou refused to let that happen.

"Make sure you rest, then," one of the women said, a disapproving frown on her face.

"Thank you," Mokuba said pointedly. He looked at Yuugi and Ryou and then followed the three of them out, closing the door behind him.

"It's over," Ryou said in a dazed voice, scooting backwards until she was lying in between Yami and Bakura, but beside Bakura. Yuugi decided she had the right idea and moved to the bottom of the bed so that she could crawl up into the empty space left between Ryou and Yami. "I can't believe it."

"Well, Yami Malik might be dead, but we're still girls," Yuugi pointed out, muffling a yawn with her hand. She was exhausted. She closed her eyes. There was a lot of other stuff to think about too, but all of it could wait until morning.

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Please review!


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N:** Enjoy!

**Note:** It's November and y'all know what that means. NaNo is on. I'm going to try to be faithful with updates but if I can't, you've got fair warning.

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A muted buzzing against her thigh woke Ryou from a dead sleep. Confused and disoriented, she lifted her head and looked around blearily. She was lying in bed and there were two warm bodies curled up on either side of her. The room was dark with only a thin line of light seeping in from under the door and around the windows. There was just enough visibility for her to be able to see that it was Bakura in front of her and that he was still sleeping, though that probably wouldn't last long if the vibrating didn't stop. With a silent curse, Ryou shifted her weight until she could get a hand down to her pocket. She pulled her cell phone out and peered down at the screen at the phone went quiet. A moment later it lit up indicating that she had a new voicemail, one of several, as well over a dozen text messages.

Ryou frowned, momentarily puzzled until her eyes landed on the date. A quiet gasp escaped her and she clapped a hand to her mouth. If her phone was correct then it was Sunday night and she and Yuugi had been gone for almost four days. Slowly she opened up her texts and winced when she saw that a good percentage of them were from her father, each one growing increasingly more worried and upset. The rest of them were from Jou, Anzu, Honda and Malik, first inquiring after her and Yuugi and then getting angry when they realized that the two of them had disappeared. There was no doubt in her mind that the voicemails were more of the same and that if she looked at Yuugi's phone she would see even more.

"Damn it," she said under her breath, closing her phone with a soft snap. She twisted her head to look behind her and saw that Yami and Yuugi were cuddled together, Yuugi's head on top of Yami's chest. Both of them were breathing deeply and peacefully and the sight of them made her even sleepier. The last thing Ryou wanted to do was get up. She was so warm and comfortable that she could have happily stayed right where she was for ages. She was contemplating just going back to sleep when her phone began to buzz again. Giving in to the inevitable, she sighed and slowly squirmed her way above the blankets, crawling down to the end of the bed.

The sting of putting her feet down and standing nearly made her yelp; she muffled the sound just in time with her hand, squeezing her eyes shut to avoid the immediate rush of tears. It was sort of like what she had imagined putting her feet down in hot lava would've felt like. The cuts burned and the bruises throbbed. She tried to ignore the pain as she crept over to the door and eased it open, slipping out into the hallway. Almost immediately she banged into something that was sitting right outside the door. No, make that someone. Ryou brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and stared down at Malik with a bewildered expression. He had been sleeping, but the momentum of the accidental kick had jarred him awake.

"Ryou!" he said, leaping to his feet. He nearly stumbled but caught himself with a hand against the wall. "You... you're awake."

"Yes," Ryou said, shifting from one foot to the other. Just standing still was almost worse than walking had been. "My phone woke me up. I think it was my father calling me. Again."

"Oh, right. Nee-san said he'd been searching for you. She tried to tell him that you were doing some volunteer work for the Domino Museum but I'm not sure he bought it," he said, looking at her with concern. "Are you okay? You're fidgeting an awful lot."

"Actually, I need to - yes, there, thank god." She gave a moan of relief, having plunked herself down in the middle of the hallway. She lifted one of her poor feet into her lap and saw Malik's eyes go wide when he saw the amount of bandaging. Ryou shot him a grim smile and lightly rubbed her big toe, which was just about the only spot that didn't hurt.

"Did... did he do - that?" Malik asked tentatively, dropping down next to her.

"Sort of. We had to walk through the Shadow Realm for a long time and it wasn't the most sanitary place," she replied, not wanting Malik to feel guilty. "It was my own fault, really. I was in such a rush to get going that I completely forgot about putting shoes on. And of course neither of us had a spare pair." She stretched her leg out in front of her and winced a little when she wiggled her toes. That _hurt_. "What's been going on here?"

"Not a whole lot," he said slowly. "Nee-san figured out where you'd gone pretty quickly. She felt the portal to the Shadow Realm opening. But by the time we got to your house you were already gone so we came here instead. She thought that if something happened to you guys she would need help containing Yami Malik and Kaiba was the best person for that." He smirked a little. "As you can imagine, it didn't go over too well. We were on the verge of getting kicked out when Jou, Anzu and Honda showed up panicking. Apparently Yuugi's grandfather had told them about some letter that Yuugi had left behind and they figured out what that meant. I don't think they're very happy with you two."

"No, I don't imagine they are," Ryou said with a sigh, already dreading the confrontation that would follow. "I know we should've warned everyone but... at the moment it just seemed right." She gave a helpless shrug. After all, it was the truth. In the end this had been about her and Yuugi and Yami Malik and no one else. She looked down at her phone. "I guess I'll have to go see my father. He's probably furious that I wasn't there when he got home."

"What will you tell him?" he asked.

"I don't know. At first I thought that I might keep it a secret, try to dress and make myself sound like a boy when he was around, but that seems so stupid now. I'm going to be a girl for the rest of my life. There's no turning back now. And the longer I keep it from him, the harder it's going to get. He'll only be that much more upset when I eventually do tell him." She raised her eyes to Malik, who was nodding in understanding. "I hate the thought that he might reject me, but this is the choice I made and I have to accept the consequences."

It was all very easy to say, but the thought of actually doing it was enough to make her feel nauseous. Her father was the only family she had left and if the man got angry enough to throw her out Ryou didn't know what she would do. She squeezed her eyes shut briefly before bracing her hand against the wall, using that to help as she started to get to her feet. Malik stood up with an ease she envied and grabbed her by the waist, easily lifting her. He set her down gently and looked down into her eyes with a troubled expression. For a moment, she thought he wouldn't ask. But then he cleared his throat and spoke softly.

"He is dead, isn't he?"

"Yes, Malik, he's dead," she confirmed, her heart twisting at the look of absolute relief that passed over his face. "It was all very easy in the end. He was so convinced that Yuugi and I wouldn't be a threat to him." She shook her head, a little amazed. "His overconfidence turned out to be his downfall. And you don't have to worry. This time he won't be coming back again."

Malik let out a slow, shaky breath and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder. He was _shaking_, Ryou realized. Instinctively she brought her hands up and combed them through his hair, willing to ignore the pain in her feet for the time it took to calm him down. She wondered what he would do now that he didn't have to worry about Yami Malik returning, if he would stay in Japan or if he would go back to Egypt with Isis and Rishid. Both places held bad memories for him, but she could admit - if only to herself - that she hoped he would stay.

"Thank you," he said against her shoulder, voice muffled.

"Shh, it's alright, you don't have to thank me," she whispered. "It wasn't your fault, Malik, and no one has the right to blame you for it."

He lifted his head. "And that right there tells me that you're a hikari and that I could never be one if that's what it takes," he said.

"You don't want to be one." Ryou dropped her hands and stepped back, barely concealing a grimace. "God, Malik, why would you want to be? Yuugi and I changed our whole lives just so that we could get Yami and Bakura back. I hated Bakura back when he lived in the Ring but I still discovered that I couldn't live without him. I had to make this sacrifice knowing that it might end in disaster." She shook her head. No one would ever know how much that had weighed on her. "It's pure luck that I actually ended up falling in love with him. I can only imagine what it would be like to need someone that I hated."

"You're in love with him?" Malik looked shocked and Ryou flushed. She hadn't actually meant for that part of it to come out.

"Well," she said sheepishly and then paused, uncertain of what to say next. To be honest her feelings for Bakura had sort of snuck up on her during the past few weeks. Somewhere in between missing him so badly that it physically hurt and Yami Malik kidnapping him, she'd fallen in love without even realizing it. She wanted to be surprised about the development but really, it was hard to be when she considered the close relationship between Yami and Yuugi. What had she expected to happen between a yami and hikari that had done just about the most intimate act possible?

Malik's eyes softened at her obvious flustered state and he patted her shoulder. "If you really feel that way, I think it's great. Well, actually I think you're a little bit crazy for being willing to put up with him, but I also know that no one else probably could. I hope that he feels the same way about you." His brow furrowed a little, like he realized that he was saying was virtually impossible, and Ryou winced. She didn't need to be reminded of the fact that Bakura openly scorned anything that resembled sentiment. She cast about for a change in topic and had no trouble finding one when shifting her weight slightly caused a bolt of near agony to flash up her right leg.

"Look, my feet are killing me. Could you help me downstairs?" she asked with just a hint of desperation, leaning a little more heavily against the wall than she wanted to. Malik nodded and took her arm, placing it around his neck. He wrapped his arm around her waist, enabling him to take more of her weight. Still, every step proved to be jolt of fresh pain and Ryou had to bite her lip hard to keep from crying out by the time they were at the stairs.

"Are you sure you shouldn't just go back to bed?" Malik said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," she gasped. "I told you, I have to smooth things over with my father."

"I don't think it's going to help if you show up like this," he said. Abruptly he dropped his shoulder out from under her arm and lightly pushed at her shoulders, sitting her down on the top step. Ryou watched in frustrated amazement as he disappeared down the stairs, leaving her alone. She looked around, wondering what to do next. Her feet were throbbing and she could tell that some of the cuts had reopened because the bandages were turning red. And now that she was sitting down, the act of moving around and talking had caught up with her and she was exhausted. She contemplated scooting down the stairs on her bottom, but that seemed like it would require a lot of effort. In the end, she put her head against the rail and closed her eyes for just a moment. By the time that Malik and Rishid returned, she was sound asleep, and never stirred as Rishid picked her up and carried her back to the bedroom.

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Please review!


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N:** Enjoy.

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Yuugi had been drifting in that lazy, half awake half asleep state of mind for several minutes before she felt a hand touch her hair. She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling, realizing that she was still in the same bed where she'd fallen asleep. To her right, Ryou and Bakura were both sound asleep; Bakura was on his side facing away from Yuugi and Ryou was all cuddled up against his back. Slowly, she turned her head to the other side and saw that it was Yami who was awake. His crimson eyes were half-lidded and he looked sleepy, possibly a side effect of his concussion, but he was smiling and it was a relief to see that he was awake and didn't appear to be in a lot of pain.

"Hi," she whispered, keeping her voice soft to avoid waking up Ryou and Bakura. The bed was warm and comfortable and felt like a sanctuary that she didn't want to risk disturbing. She thought she could have happily spent the rest of her life exactly where she was.

"Hi," Yami replied. His face was so close to her ear that he just barely spoke and she still heard him clearly. It tickled, though, the feel of his breath ghosting over her ear, and she smiled, instinctively moving her hand up and placing it over his, stilling the motion of his stroking. He sighed and twisted his hand, sliding their fingers together and squeezing gently.

"How do you feel?" Yuugi asked.

"Not too bad. My head hurts whenever I try to move or breathe or... do anything, really. And my stomach and back are both really sore but I suppose that's to be expected." He grimaced a little.

/Did he hurt you very badly?/ she asked, making the automatic switch to speaking through their mind link when she felt Ryou shift beside her. She looked down at his belly and touched the surface gently with her fingers, feeling the stitches underneath. It made her unbearably angry to think about Yami Malik seeking his revenge on Yami like that. Torture, pure and simple, a twisted parody of the ritual Malik had been forced to undergo as a child, and she hoped that Yami had been unconscious at the time. No one deserved that.

\Probably not as much as he would have liked, all things considered. He was distracted, probably because he was trying to keep an eye on the two of you. I_ am_ fine, though, and I mean that, not just saying it.\ His hand tightened. \As much as I wish that you and Ryou would have stayed here where it was safe, I have to admit that the two of you have impeccable timing. What happened to Yami Malik?\

/He's dead,/ Yuugi replied. She knew he would be upset to hear that he had missed most of it but she saw no point in hiding the truth of the matter from him. He'd find out sooner or later and she thought he might recover faster if he knew that there was no need to worry about Yami Malik sneaking up on them. /After he attacked us and knocked you and Bakura out, Ryou and I somehow summoned Dark Magician Girl and Change of Heart. Change of Heart possessed Yami Malik so that Dark Magician Girl was able to attack him./ She let out a shaky breath, the reality of the situation hitting her all over again. /He's really dead this time, Yami./

Yami didn't say anything for a long moment. There was a confusing storm of emotions coming from him and Yuugi couldn't really work out what he was thinking or feeling. At last he sighed and lifted her hand, bringing it to his mouth. He kissed the back of it so tenderly that Yuugi just _knew_ her cheeks had turned bright pink. Even though she'd admitted, if only to herself and Ryou, that she liked Yami as more than just as a friend or partner, they hadn't talked about what had happened in the Shadow Realm. She hadn't been sure that Yami would want to mention it at all. But it seemed that he did and now she wasn't sure what to do or say in response. She looked up at him, suddenly shy, biting her lip, and he smiled.

\I've been waiting for the chance to do that,\ he admitted.

"Yami," she said softly. When he edged a bit closer, she closed her eyes and kept herself very still, anticipating the touch against her mouth. When it came she couldn't help gasping and her eyes opened to see that Yami was inches away, looking at her. Slowly he leaned forward and did it a second time, keeping it carefully chaste even though she could sense that he wanted to do a lot more. She kissed him back, letting her lips move against his, and in the end when he rested his forehead on her shoulder they were both breathing a little heavier.

\I wish that I could have been there with you when you faced him, but you've proven when I've been saying to you all along. You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for and that hasn't changed now that you're a girl,\ he told her. The feeling of pride coming from him was overwhelming and she couldn't help basking in it. \You should be just as proud of yourself as I am. You and Ryou have gotten rid of something that could've easily destroyed the world.\

/I'm just glad he's gone./ She curled closer to him, mindful of his wounds, and had just thought that she might go back to sleep when her stomach growled. Yami chuckled and she sighed. /I guess it's been a while since we ate. I should probably go get some food./

\I'll go with you.\ Yami started to sit up and was clearly caught off guard by the pain that raced across his belly and back, hot and sharp as a knife. Yuugi pushed him back down onto his side quickly, keeping a hand on his shoulder to prevent him from trying it a second time. Only once she was certain that he wouldn't do anything so foolish again did she move, squirming her way down to the end of the bed like a snake.

/You stay here,/ she ordered, putting her feet down and standing. Her body ached but it was nothing overly painful as long as she didn't try to move her wrist too much. She padded over to the door and opened it, letting in a thin shaft of light as she stepped out into the hall. She could feel that Yami's attention was focused on her, he wasn't quite looking through her eyes but it was close, and it felt kind of like standing in a warm patch of sunlight. There was a smile on her face as she started down the stairs.

"Yuugi!" Anzu was the first person she met. There was a thunderous crash as Anzu dropped the tray she had been carrying out of the kitchen, sending a fine spray of glass, ceramic, food and drink all over the floor. Anzu let out a startled squeak and hopped over the mess to throw her arms around Yuugi. "Oh my god, you're awake! We were so worried about you!"

"I'm fine," Yuugi said wearily, listening to the sound of running footsteps. No doubt everyone had been alerted by the crash. Sure enough, less than a minute later Jou, Honda, Isis, Malik, Rishid, Mokuba, Seto and a handful of maids had all gathered into the entryway. The maids began fussing over the mess. Seto took one look around, rolled his eyes and disappeared back to wherever he'd been before. Anzu released Yuugi reluctantly, easing her weight back with a faint frown.

"It doesn't hurt you to touch me anymore," she said curiously. "You didn't flinch."

"Huh?" Yuugi blinked up at her and then looked down at her hands, realizing that Anzu was right. Aside from the bruises and cuts and general aching, there had been no panic, no residual hum of pain, and only one thing had changed in the meantime. "I guess it must have been a side effect of the collar," she said.

Anzu's frown grew deeper but she had no time to press the issue because Malik said, "At least you got farther than Ryou did."

"Ryou was up?" Now that Malik mentioned it Yuugi had a dim memory of the bed becoming, temporarily, a little bit colder, and then of hushed voices and the bed warming again. "Was she alright?"

"She'll get there," Malik replied, shrugging.

"Are _you_ alright?" Anzu persisted, putting her hands on her hips. "You don't look… good."

"I told you I'm fine and I meant it," she said firmly, knowing that Anzu wouldn't let it go until she had what she considered a proper answer. "I probably got off the lightest, all things considered. I just came down - we're hungry, that's all, and Bakura and Ryou will probably be awake soon too." She couldn't imagine that walking would be very comfortable on Ryou's feet. Better to get enough food for all of them in one trip.

"Yami's awake?" Anzu looked almost longingly up the stairs and Honda took her elbow, not so much to hold her in place as to prevent the idea of going to see from forming period.

"Yes, he is, or he was when I left the room."

"I'll get the cook to make you some food, Yuugi," Mokuba said. He turned to walk into the kitchen and Malik wandered after him, thumbs shoved into the crook of his waistband. Rishid followed and so did Isis, after she shot Yuugi a warm smile and look that no doubt meant 'we'll talk later'. Yuugi knew that Isis would want as many details as possible and she didn't look forward to the interrogation. A lot of what had happened already felt like a bad dream and some of the details were fuzzy at best.

However, she had a more pressing matter to deal with in the meantime. She was alone with Honda, Anzu and Jou, who hadn't spoken a word to her yet. "Yami Malik is dead," she said, trying and failing to smile. It came out as more of a grimace. "But... I suppose that you already knew that."

"Mokuba told us," Anzu said with a nod. She wasn't smiling. "I guess that you and Ryou really work well as a team, huh?"

Ouch, that hurt. Yuugi tried not to wince. "It's not like that, Anzu-chan," she said. "You guys are still my best friends. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you where I was going but I knew you would want to come with me. And as much as I would have loved your company, I couldn't... If Ryou and I had failed, if we'd died there, I didn't want that to happen to you, too."

"But it was okay for Ryou?" Jou asked and his voice was very quiet.

"No, of course not! But Ryou made her own choice to come because of Bakura. She _needed_ to be there. You guys didn't." Yuugi fisted her hands in her skirt and swallowed hard, concealing a wince at the dull flash of pain from her wrist. "I know you're probably angry at me for leaving without saying anything. I know I promised to keep you in the loop as much as I could. But please try to understand. There are some parts of this that you can't help me with. It's not because I like Ryou more or because I don't trust you. Your safety is more important to me than anything."

"More important than our friendship, even?" said Jou. His eyes widened and he paused as Yuugi drew back like he'd slapped her. He half-raised one hand and then stopped, letting it fall to his side. "Yuugi, I didn't - "

"No, it's okay." There was a familiar burning behind her eyes that meant Yuugi was going to cry and she did_ not_ want the three of them to see. She turned, putting her back to them. "I understand. I think... I mean, maybe we should wait to talk about it until later, okay? I'm... I'm really tired." And before any of them could say anything, she fled up the stairs.

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Please review!


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N:** I was asked how many more chapters there are for this story by a couple of people. I can't really say, not because I don't want to but because I honestly don't know. Enjoy!

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Yuugi didn't go straight back to the room. She could feel Yami's concern bubbling up in the back of her mind but she didn't want to talk to him, not yet. Actually she didn't really want to talk to anyone, but that turned out to be not an option. Jou caught up to her she turned into the bathroom and slammed his hand down on the door before she could close it, preventing her from locking herself inside. It was truly tempting to yell at him but Yuugi bit her lip at the last minute, swallowing her instinctive reaction down. It would not benefit anyone if she and Jou got into even more a fight, she knew that, which was why she regarded him as calmly as possible, waiting for him to make the first move and set the tone.

"I'm sorry," Jou said simply, letting his arms hang limply at his sides. He leaned against the door, likely for extra support as much as it was to keep her from shutting it. "I shouldn't have said that the way I did. I didn't mean it. Well, I meant it, but not the way it came out. I just..." He scrubbed a hand through his hair and sighed. "You gotta understand how frustrating this is for me, Yuugi. I know that I don't have any shadow magic but that doesn't mean I don't want to be there for you, and it hurts when I can't."

"Jou…" Yuugi closed her eyes for a moment, searching for patience. Jou had been there with her since the very beginning. He'd been involved so often that she couldn't help but understand how he felt at now being left out. But his desire to be helpful didn't change how dangerous Yami Malik had been. It didn't change the fact that Jou _couldn't help_. "Listen - "

"No, I know it's stupid," he said, cutting her off. "I know you're going through a lot right now, what with Yami and being a girl and all that, and I don't mean to add to that. I'm just… not used to being left behind."

"I was trying to protect you," Yuugi replied, looking down at the floor so that she wouldn't have to meet his eyes, half-afraid of what she might see there. "You're my best friend, Jou, and you said it yourself. You haven't got any shadow magic. You've managed to come out alright so far but every fight is another risk that you'll be hurt. And as much as I appreciate your willingness to sacrifice yourself for me, I can't let that keep happening. It's not fair to you."

"I hate that I was born human," he muttered, startling a laugh from her. He smiled sheepishly.

"Don't hate it, enjoy the fact that you didn't have to come," she said with a shudder. She would never apologize for having left Jou, Anzu and Honda behind, just like she would never give them the real details of what had happened. They didn't need to know how close Yuugi and Ryou had come to never returning. "Seriously, Jou, I really do appreciate the fact that you wanted to come that badly. I know that Yami does, too. It means a lot to both of us. You're a really good friend."

He studied her for a moment. "Your best friend, you said."

"Well, yes." Yuugi blinked up at him, surprised. Hadn't she just said as much? It took her a second to understand the odd look on his face: the resignation tempered with just the slightest hint of _envy_. "Jou, are you... are you jealous of Ryou?" she asked slowly.

Jou fidgeted and glanced away, a faint flush rising in his cheeks. "No."

Yes, he was, Yuugi realized. Suddenly a lot of his behaviour during the past few weeks made more sense. He was _jealous _that there was now something between her and Ryou that would connect them for the rest of their lives. She and Ryou would always share an unbreakable bond that came from being not only hikaris, but also males who had been magically turned into females. This explained a great deal and she couldn't believe it hadn't occurred to her before; she had been spending an awful lot of time with Ryou, and how must it have looked when she and Ryou had chosen to run off on an adventure without anyone else? It was a weird feeling to realize that someone was actually jealous of her friendship, especially when that someone was the one person who would never have to worry about it.

"Jou," Yuugi said, stepping forward. She wanted to take his hand but she was still very conscious of the odd tension that still lingered between them. "You don't have to be jealous, okay? Never, not you. Ryou is... she's like my sister, but you're my best friend. My brother. And just because I'm a girl and Yami is back that's not going to change, even if you do have to stay home instead of coming along with us on adventures. I have enough people trying to protect me, you know. Sometimes I just need to know that I can still come back to you and you'll be here just the way you always are. The fact that I can depend on you to be that person means more to me than you'll ever know."

He looked at her for a long time, seemingly stunned by the level of emotion in her voice, and then he sighed and gave her a tiny smile. "I'm sorry, Yuugi. I've been a real idiot about this, haven't I?"

"Well, everyone gets a pass to be an idiot once in a while," she answered, trying her best to smile when the familiar prickling of tears was making itself known behind her eyes. God she hated that about being a girl. Jou would undoubtedly freak out if she cried now so she did what she could to hold it back. "Seriously, I didn't mean for you to ever think that you had been replaced or something like that."

"I knew I was being stupid," he admitted. "I was trying to push past it and not let it affect our friendship but that's… well, obviously it didn't work out so well. Knowing how different you are now, it's…" He trailed off and made an awkward hand motion between them. "It's going to take some time for me to adjust to everything that's happened and how this changes… stuff."

"And I understand that," she said gently. "I'm still getting used to it, too. Sometimes I walk by a mirror and it still shocks me to see what's staring back." That, at least, was the honest truth. She didn't know if she would ever get used to seeing a female body in the mirror.

"You could always look at the bright side," he said with a smirk.

Yuugi eyed him warily. "And what would that be?"

"You finally know what a girl looks like naked."

"Jou!" Yuugi exclaimed, hitting him on the arm. He burst into laughter and she couldn't help laughing too, giddy with the realization that eventually their friendship would be just fine.

**YY**

She was back in the bed. Ryou was aware of that before she even opened her eyes, if only because she knew that there was no where else that she would feel this impossibly safe. She could hear low voices speaking and it took a moment for her to be able to discern that it was Bakura and Yami, both of them obviously making an attempt to keep from waking her. It was amazing to think that the two of them had come so far that they could actually occupy the same bed and not want to kill each other. Granted, the bed was enormous and there was a hikari sleeping in between them, but still.

Before she could focus on what they were saying the two of them went quiet. She sighed. /You don't have to stop speaking on my account,/ she told Bakura. The thought went through before she could stop it and immediately she stilled, troubled. They hadn't actively used their mind link since Bakura had returned. Only unbidden emotions and the occasional stray thought had slipped through. At first it had been fragmented by the separation but now, whether due to their visit to the Shadow Realm or some other force, it appeared to be back and fully formed.

\Didn't anyone ever tell you that eavesdropping is not good?\ he asked, and she could feel his amusement, warming her from the inside out. Slowly she relaxed against him.

/Yes they did, but I rather think it's pretty hypocritical for you of all people to say that,/ she replied. Okay, so she hadn't made it home and her father was likely still furious at her. But if the pay off was being able to wake up next to a Bakura who was in a surprisingly good mood, then it was totally worth it. /Considering you've done a lot worse than eavesdrop./

He smirked. \That's different,\ he said, shifting next to her. He winced and she felt the brief but strong flash of pain that came from his ribs. Immediately she put a hand out, resting it lightly over his stomach in an effort to keep him from moving. Right away she could tell that the doctor's orders of rest in bed would not be fulfilled. Bakura absolutely hated having nothing to do. She thought it probably came from the years of being trapped in the Ring. It would be a nightmare trying to keep him in bed until his ribs had healed enough that they didn't cause him pain when he walked.

/Stay still,/ she scolded. /You're hurt and you're going to make it worse if you try to move around./

He made a scoffing sound but, surprisingly, fell quiet under her touch. The door opened and all three of them looked up, squinting in the surprisingly harsh light, to see that one of the Kaiba maids was standing there with a full tray of food. She gave them a tentative smile and carried the tray over to a little table, setting it down carefully. Right behind her was another maid, this one carrying a tray laden with a pitcher of milk, juice, tea, coffee, plates and silverware. Neither one of them said a word, just gave curt little bows and walked out of the room, leaving behind the tantalizing smell of freshly cooked food. Ryou's stomach growled hungrily, reminding her of just how long it had been since she'd eaten.

She started to pull her hand away so that she could get up and was startled when Bakura's grip tightened, pinning her hand in place. A moment later, though, he released her hand and rolled over as though it had never happened. Ryou stared at him in bemusement and if it hadn't been for the fact that Yami was right next to them she might've done something foolish, like lean over and kiss him on the cheek. The thought made her blush and she hurriedly slipped out of the bed, wincing as she padded over to the table. Her feet ached even worse than before if that was possible, apparently not having yet recovered from her brief journey down the hall with Malik. Still, she was too hungry to wait for Yuugi return.

"Who wants what?" she said, studying the trays more closely. There was a lot of food, too much for four people to eat though they'd like give it their best shot. Instead of doling out the food she carried the tray over to the bed and then dragged the table over for their drinks. She sat down, curling her feet under her, and picked up a sausage as Bakura grabbed a pancake and Yami picked up an apple. She could get used to this.

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Please review!


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N:** I estimate there's about three or four chapters left in this story. I'm already planning out my next gender bend fic (it will be AU and very cool if I do say so myself!) and this one is coming to a close. Enjoy these last few chapters!

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To say that Yuugi felt a hundred times better after she'd had the chance to talk to Jou was an understatement. As she washed her face and hands, she realized that it was as though a steep weight had been lifted from her shoulders, one that she hadn't consciously realized that she was carrying. Jou was her best friend and she loved him a lot, but things had been strained between them ever since she'd become a girl. It was a relief to know that they were finally beginning to clear the air. Things weren't perfect between them - she knew that Jou still resented the fact that she had run off with Ryou and left him behind, regardless of whether she had been trying to protect him - but perhaps, in time, it would be alright.

\Of course it will. You and Jou are best friends and that's not going to change anytime soon,\ Yami said and Yuugi jumped. Immediately she felt silly for being surprised that he'd been listening to their conversation the whole time. In spite of how much she had missed him, it hadn't taken her long to get used to not having someone else inside of her head all the time. Now she supposed she would have to go back the other way. Not that there was much she and Yami didn't share anyway.

/I know. I'm just glad that we had the chance to talk,/ Yuugi replied, wiping her hands on the dish towel. Her hair was a mess, she realized when she glanced into the mirror, and she really needed a shower. /I don't like fighting with anyone, but that goes triple for Jou. Still, though. I know we've made up but I have the feeling this might be a problem again in the future if you and I ever need to go do something else. He's going to want to come with us./ She closed her eyes. Part of her wished that she had never drawn Jou into this kind of thing in the first place. Of course, if she hadn't she probably wouldn't be where she was now.

\It's alright, Aibou. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.\ Yami's soothing words were accompanied by a gentle wave of calming that flowed through Yuugi like a balm. She sighed and relaxed further under it. She'd missed this.

/Yeah, you're right. Maybe it won't even become an issue,/ she said hopefully, opening the door. She started to step out and paused when she caught sight of a shadow down the hallway. At first her heart jumped in fright, and then it squeezed in an entirely different form of anxiety when she realized that the mysterious figure was none other than Anzu. She was standing in front of the bedroom door and she hadn't noticed Yuugi, who watched as Anzu put her hand on the doorknob and then pulled it away. /Oh boy./

"Anzu?" she said, making her voice as gentle as possible. Anzu still jumped and spun around, her blue eyes wide.

"Oh, Yuugi!" she exclaimed. "I didn't – I thought you were inside already. I heard Yami's voice." Her cheeks were flushed and she darted a quick look at the door. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she had been hoping to get Yami alone for a few minutes.

"He's probably talking to Bakura and Ryou," said Yuugi, folding her arms as best she could. The pressure on her wrist made her wince a little but she ignored the brief flash of pain. "I'm not sure that Yami would be feeling up to talking just yet, Anzu. He was in pretty bad shape when we got back. Actually, after we're finished eating I was going to see if Mokuba or Seto could call the doctor. It might be the only time Bakura will ever be still enough for them to check him over." She grinned weakly.

Anzu's returning smile was equally wobbly. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. I just wanted to make sure that he was okay, that's all." She finally turned away from the door, facing Yuugi, and looked her up and down. "Are_ you_ doing alright? I was going to come see if you were after what happened, but then I saw that Jou had followed you and Honda thought it was best that we gave you guys a few minutes to talk." Her concern was genuine, that much was discernible at a glance. Her friends had always been one of the most important things in Anzu's life. Yuugi's smile became more genuine.

"Yes, we're fine. We talked and I think that things will go back to normal eventually. Well, as close to normal as we can ever be," she replied. "I know that he was just frustrated. I won't say that it didn't upset me but maybe I needed to hear it as much as Jou needed to say it."

"Oh, that's a relief. I thought that you would work it out but you can never be too sure. I'm really glad for you, Yuugi. Maybe next time we'll be able to come with you," Anzu said hopefully. "I mean, I think it's good for you and… and Yami when we can be there to support you."

"Maybe," Yuugi said slowly. There was more going on here then it appeared on the surface and she thought she knew what the problem might be, though she was hoping that she was wrong. "But probably not. Anzu, you do understand that from now on you guys probably won't be involved with anything that has to do with shadow magic, right? I appreciate everything you've done so far. We all do, including Yami. And I know you want to help, but you guys are just regular people. You don't have any magic. Really, you shouldn't have even been involved as much as you were."

"I liked helping you, even when we were in danger." Anzu sounded a little defensive and Yuugi sighed. She had been hoping that Anzu might be the one person who would understand but obviously that wasn't going to be the case.

"I know you did and like I said I was glad of your help. There were loads of times that I wouldn't have been able to make it without you. But your safety means more to me than anything else. I'm not going to let you keep putting yourselves in so much danger for no reason. Hopefully this won't ever be an issue." She crossed her fingers and held them up for proof. "Only, just in case it is I want you to know that. From now on you should act like you're just a normal person."

"But Yami..." Anzu began and then stopped. She lifted her chin, obviously steeling herself, and said, "But Yami won't be interested in a normal girl."

Oh. Yuugi tried hard not to wince. Part of her had known that this was coming from the moment that she saw Yami again. Anzu had never made any secret that she preferred Yami over Yuugi, at least when it came to romance. It had been a long time before Yuugi could accept this as the truth without feeling too bitter about it and gradually her feelings for Anzu had faded. Sometimes she even thought that Yami and Anzu had the potential to be good together, considering that Anzu was understanding and sweet but firm enough to keep Yami in line. But there was also no doubt in Yuugi's mind that Yami would never consider being with Anzu as long as Yuugi was even a little bit interested in him. They just fit together too well. She stared at Anzu, wondering how she was going to explain this, but before she got the chance the door actually did open and a familiar head was poked out.

"Yami!" Yuugi exclaimed, startled. "Oh my god, what are you doing out of bed?"

"I had to use the bathroom," he said, looking a little amused by her reaction. He was leaning against the doorframe, one hand loosely clapped over his stomach. It had to be immensely painful but he had their bond so tightly shielded that Yuugi couldn't feel it. She stared at him with narrowed eyes and he deliberately looked away. "I thought I heard voices out here. Hello, Anzu."

"Yami." Anzu was smiling, her blue eyes shining with relief. She started to take a step closer, looking like she might try to take his arm to support him, but stopped with a self-conscious glance at Yuugi. "Thank god you're okay. I was really worried about you."

"I know." Yami nodded. He didn't take his eyes from Anzu as he said, "Aibou, could I speak to Anzu alone?"

It was very tempting to say no and Yuugi might have done just that if it weren't for the way that Yami looked at her, with a plea written in his expressive eyes. She sighed and nodded, moving forward so that she could slip past him into the room. Yami touched her wrist, a movement hidden from Anzu by the way their bodies were positioned, and deliberately opened up their link just enough so that she would be able to hear and see what was going on if she wanted to. She'd never received a clearer invitation to eavesdrop. Yami smirked at that and dropped his hand, letting her continue. She shut the door behind her.

"Yuugi!" Ryou said with surprise, sitting straight up. She was nibbling on a cream puff and there was white powder on her lips and cheeks. Bakura was watching this with a distinctly hungry look. "What's going on? All of a sudden Yami got up and said he had to do something."

"Shh." Yuugi held her finger to her lips in a bid for silence and sat down right where she was, tucking her legs under her and closing her eyes. Even after all this time it was too easy to open herself up to Yami, to let their essences run together until they were breathing and living and hurting in tandem; she could taste the words he wanted to speak and her lips moved silently as he spoke.

"I wanted to thank you for your advice, Anzu-san," he said quietly enough that no one else would be able to hear. "When I came to see you, you said some things to me that I needed to hear."

"Oh." Anzu sounded flustered. "You don't have to thank me, Yami. It makes sense that things between you and Yuugi wouldn't go back to normal right away. I mean, you were gone for quite a while and of course, Yuugi is a girl now and that alone could make things hard. I have to admit that the world just doesn't seem right when the two of you are fighting. I was happy to be able to help and it's good to see you getting along."

"Yuugi is very precious to me. I didn't like it when she was angry with me, even if she was justified in her reaction," he agreed. "I think that we are now beginning to find our way."

"Really? And, um, what do you think will happen? Between you two, I mean."

"I expect that at some point Yuugi will want to go home to her grandfather. As long as her mother is not there I won't object. Kaiba is supposed to be working on some identities for Bakura and me. Once we get those it will be a matter of the two of us trying to find where we fit in."

"I see." She fell silent for a long moment. "Yami, do you think - is there - I mean, I know you and Yuugi are partners, but I wanted… is there space for me? I - I think you could fit with… with me."

"Anzu -" Yami didn't get a chance to say anything else. Anzu surged forward and kissed him.

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Please review!


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N:** I hope this chapter clears up a looming question that a lot of people asked. I had this planned from the very beginning of the story, though. Enjoy!

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Yuugi's mouth dropped open and she gasped out loud. Ryou and Bakura both turned to look at her in surprise, but she ignored them and their questions, too busy focusing on the feelings of shock and surprise coming from Yami. It took him nearly twenty seconds - Yuugi knew because she counted every single one - to bring his arms up and push Anzu away gently but firmly. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them speaking, and although Yuugi wondered desperately why Yami wasn't saying anything she couldn't bring herself to ask. All three of them were frozen in place.

Their strange little scene was broken by a flash of light and the damp smell of smoke and Anzu's yelp, high-pitched and startled. Yuugi leapt to her feet and threw the door open, nearly toppling Yami over backwards in the process. She hooked her shoulder beneath his to stop his momentum and both of them stared down the hall at Dark Magician Girl, who had appeared without warning and was standing - well, hovering there with her hands on her hips. One look at the duel monster's put-out face reminded Yuugi that they never had summoned Dark Magician Girl back for an explanation and she winced, knowing she was in trouble.

"How - what - what are you doing here?" Anzu stammered. She'd jumped back and tripped, landing on her bottom. Now she looked around as though expecting someone to help her up. When no one moved to do so she got up on her own, dusting the back of her skirt off and very deliberately not looking in the direction of either Yuugi or Yami.

If Dark Magician Girl had any inclination that she'd just walked in on an extremely tense situation, she gave no notice of it. "I've been waiting for you to summon me," she said to Yuugi, her mouth twisted into a pout. "Don't you want to hear what I have to say? I thought you would be curious about Yami Malik."

"What?" Yami said sharply. "What are you talking about?"

"Okay," Yuugi intervened before Dark Magician Girl could respond. This was probably not a conversation to be had in the middle of the hall where anyone could walk up on them. "Anzu, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to finish talking to Yami later. Dark Magician Girl needs to talk to Yami, Bakura, Ryou and me." She guided Yami into the room without giving him the opportunity to protest and Dark Magician Girl followed, closing the door in Anzu's stunned face. Yuugi knew she'd have a lot of smoothing over to do later but for the time being she was just relieved to have a valid excuse to get Yami away from Anzu.

"Dark Magician Girl!" Ryou exclaimed. She'd clearly been burning with curiosity while Yuugi and Yami were in the hall. "What are you doing - oh." Her expression turned sheepish.

"Sit," the duel monster said sternly, pointing to the bed. "I have a lot to tell you."

Yuugi helped Yami over to the bed and sat him down before settling onto the bed herself. Noticing the trays of food which still had plenty left on them, she grabbed a cream puff and bit into it, realizing that it had been a very long time since she had last eaten anything. No wonder she was feeling a little dizzy. "Go ahead," she said once she'd swallowed her mouthful. "We're all listening."

"Alright. Shortly after the pharaoh decided to return to the afterlife, Mahado and I began noticing a strange presence in the Shadow Realm. It quickly became obvious to both of us that Yami Malik had not been destroyed," Dark Magician Girl began. "But we weren't sure how to handle the situation. The pharaoh was the only one with the power to get rid of him, and frankly without the Millennium Puzzle we didn't even know if you would be able to do that." She looked somewhat apologetic. "That's why Mahado brought up the idea of reviving what was left of the thief king's soul to help and I couldn't think of a reasonable argument against it, especially not when we had proof that your hikaris were suffering without you."

Ryou shifted restlessly and Yuugi ducked her head. Neither of them said a word and after a moment Dark Magician Girl continued, "I've mentioned before that back in Khemet Mahado used to study ancient rituals whenever he had time to spare. There was one ritual in particular that we believed would suit our needs. But we needed Yami Malik to think that it was his idea. We knew that if we could distract him long enough for the ritual to work behind his back everything would turn out alright. So Mahado let an incomplete version of the ritual fall into his path. He was immediately enthralled, seeing an opportunity to gain power."

"And he gave it to you and Change of Heart," Yuugi murmured, seeing where this was going. Yami Malik had boasted that he was the one who had started this whole mess but really Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl had cleverly been working against him from the beginning. "So there was never any chance that the ritual would work for him, was there?"

"No, little master, not after the pharaoh and the thief king returned," she replied gently. "I'm sorry that we allowed you to think that there was. The situation spun out of control very quickly."

"What_ was_ the real ritual, then?" Bakura asked, staring at her with narrowed eyes.

"It really did require them to become female, if that's what you're asking," Dark Magician Girl said. "For two reasons: number one, of course, was to make sure that the two of you wanted Yami and Bakura back badly enough that you were willing to sacrifice something for it. You don't get anything for nothing, I'm afraid. Secondly," and here she hesitated slightly, swallowing noticeably, "it had to do with your fertility as women. That is to say, the gift of your fertility was taken in exchange for your yamis."

"I don't understand," said Yuugi, except that she was afraid she did.

"Basically the two of you can't have children," the duel monster explained, regret shining in her blue eyes. "I believe they call it 'sterile' here in the modern world. A life for a life. Your yami for the children you would have someday had."

Put like that, it seemed painfully clear and Yuugi just stared at her for a couple of minutes, stunned, unsure of how she was supposed to respond to something like that. After all, she was still young, and male or female children had been _years_ ahead in her future, something she hadn't even thought to contemplate. But it was one thing to know that they were something she could have chosen to have if she so desired and another thing entirely to be told that the decision had been taken from her hands without her consent or knowledge. She had no idea what to say and Yami wasn't helping; he was staring at her like he was afraid she was going to explode.

Fortunately, Ryou recovered first. "And you… you didn't think to tell us this?" she demanded. "Why didn't you say something when you first appeared, or when you came to us in the classroom? Didn't you think that it was information that Yuugi and I would have wanted to know beforehand?"

"Would it have changed your mind?" Dark Magician Girl asked. It was an honest question and she appeared to be genuinely curious to hear their response.

"I…" Ryou blinked and subsided, staring down at her hands. "I don't know."

"Could you give us a minute?" Yuugi asked suddenly, sliding off of the bed. She didn't wait for Ryou but walked straight into the bathroom, though she wasn't surprised when Ryou came hobbling after her a couple of seconds later. She closed the door and put up her shields, knowing that Yami was displeased by his sudden exclamation out in the bedroom. Judging by Bakura's swearing Ryou had done the same thing. Yuugi, at least, needed a moment to think - or to pace, rather, as while Ryou sat down on the toilet she linked her hands behind her back and started to pace the length of the bathroom.

Honestly Yuugi didn't know how to think or feel or react to this, it was so out of the blue. She didn't even know if she _wanted_ kids, especially not now that she would have been the one to bring them to term, but… "This isn't fair," she said helplessly, clenching her hands into fists behind her back.

"I know. I can't believe this," Ryou said. "All I can think about is how pointless it was getting those birth control pills."

Yuugi stopped and turned to look at her in amazement. The moment their eyes met both girls burst out laughing. And it felt _good_. "Oh my god," Yuugi choked out after several minutes, leaning against the counter to help support herself. She shook her head and wiped at her eyes, realizing that her stomach actually hurt from laughing so hard. "Oh my god, Ryou, really?"

"Sorry, it's just the first thing that came into my mind." Ryou shook her head with a sheepish smile. She was silent for a moment, and when she spoke again she sounded thoughtful. "I just… I feel really stupid right now for not having asked more questions about the ritual."

"I know. Me too." Yuugi remembered back to that day when Dark Magician had appeared to her. God she had been so miserable, so _tired_ with everything. Life had just seemed like it was too much to bear. She wondered what she would have done if she'd decided to say no to his offer, if she was still a boy and didn't have to put up with all of this, couldn't have even_ imagined_ all this. Would she be happier? Would she have spent the past few weeks wondering what could have been? It wasn't an appealing thought. She closed her eyes and sighed. "Ryou… I don't think it would have made a difference to me. I would have chosen… would still choose to have Yami back."

Ryou was smiling when Yuugi looked at her. "Me too," she said. "I mean, don't get me wrong, Bakura is still a jerk sometimes but I don't think that even this would have stopped me from wanting him to return." She paused. "Still, I wish that we'd been told."

So did Yuugi. She thought back to Dark Magician Girl's question and wondered if that information had been deliberately kept from her and Ryou. Maybe it wasn't such an oversight after all, not if Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl had thought there was a chance that she and Ryou might actually refuse on the basis that they wanted kids too badly to give them up. She stared at the mirror for a few seconds, lost in thought, chewing absently on her lower lip, and then let out a sigh. Okay, there were some people who might have done just that but she and Ryou weren't one of them, especially not if Yami Malik was around.

"I," she said slowly, "am so tired of having people keep things from me."

"Me too," Ryou said softly, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. "But… I guess they were just trying to help, Yuugi. You have to admit that things turned out for the best. And… and it's not like we can never have kids. There's still, you know, adoption and stuff." She smiled bravely.

"I don't have to admit anything," Yuugi mumbled childishly but she knew that Ryou was right. This was just one more thing that had been changed because of the Millennium Items and what they had brought into her life. And even though it would take some time to get used to the idea of not being able to have kids the biological way she knew she wouldn't have wanted things any other way.

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Please review!


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N:** Thanks for all of the reviews. I hope everyone enjoys these last few chapters!

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As Yuugi and Yami went into the room with Dark Magician Girl and the door closed behind them, Anzu stumbled downstairs and hurried towards the front hall, avoiding contact with everyone. After the embarrassing spectacle she'd just made of herself she was pretty sure that she would be much happier never seeing Yami or Yuugi again. She slipped her shoes on and grabbed her jacket, creeping silently towards the front door. No one would miss her, she knew, and she would be able to spend the remainder of the night wondering where things had gone wrong. Had she ever really had a chance with him or had she just been fooling herself all along?

Her breath caught and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to remember the look of stunned surprise on Yami's face when he pushed her back. That moment had told her everything she needed to know about the chances of them ever being together: zip. And the way he'd leaned into Yuugi... her eyes burned and she bit her lip frantically to muffle the sound of the sob that wanted to break free, fumbling with the lock on the front door. She jumped when a large hand reached down past her and unlocked it and looked up to see that Honda was standing beside her, all dressed and ready to go. He didn't say a word, just opened the door and gestured for her to leave first.

The night air was cold and crisp against her cheeks and Anzu let out a shuddering sigh, already feeling marginally better. She walked down the driveway and Honda fell into step beside her, matching her stride. Overhead the stars were gleaming brightly, the moon soft and full. It was a beautiful sight and she hated herself for thinking that it would have been so much better if Yami had been the one beside her. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, trying to force back tears. "I feel like such an idiot."

Honda sighed. "It's not your fault," he said quietly. "So you went and fell in love with someone. There's nothing wrong with that, Anzu. It happens to people all the time, especially when it comes to someone like Yami. In this case it just turned out that the guy you fell in love with already likes someone else."

"Apparently I was the only one who couldn't see that," she muttered bitterly. Yuugi and Yami. Okay, yes, you couldn't think of one without automatically thinking about the other, and now that Yuugi was female she supposed she should have been a little more prepared for things between them to develop romantically - actually, scratch that, now that Yami had a body it probably would've happened regardless of whether Yuugi was a boy or not. They fit together in a way she was slowly beginning to realize that she and Yami never had. She scrubbed her hands through her hair and let out a deep sigh.

"Well, you were in love. And to be fair, we were kind of busy at the time," he pointed out. "It's not like Yami had his own body so that you could talk to him, and then he went to the afterlife right after, so I'm not sure when you would have had the chance."

Anzu turned to look at him. He wasn't looking at her, fortunately. It meant she didn't have to fake a smile. "I know you're just trying to help, so thanks," she said. "I really do appreciate it, Honda-kun. But I think I need to be alone right now." She hated to turn him away when he was being so kind but she really didn't want to be around anyone when she was feeling this way.

Fortunately, Honda seemed to understand. He reached out and squeezed her shoulder, just once, and then turned, tucking his hands into his pockets and walking quickly down the street in the opposite direction. Anzu kept moving on her own, breathing in the chilly air and knowing the inevitable was going to happen, and sure enough a moment later a hot tear rolled down her cheek. She couldn't help remembering the look of complete shock on Yami's face when he'd pushed her away, and as gentle as his hands had been there was no doubt in her mind that the kiss had been unwelcome, especially when she considered the way he'd leaned against Yuugi afterwards…

"Fuck," she said in a very quiet voice. She wasn't the kind of girl who cursed, not normally, but in this case she felt the situation warranted it. Yami had totally captured her attention from the moment that they had met. He was so different from anyone else, so confident and sure even when he was lost on the inside. He was everything that she had always dreamed about and it had always given her a private thrill to imagine being the sole focus of his attention. Thinking about how long she had spent fantasizing about him made her cheeks burn with an embarrassed flush.

Why hadn't she seen it, that Yami didn't like her that way? Had it always been obvious and she'd just missed it? Had there _ever _been a hint of anything between them or was it all in her mind? She thought about the brief interactions she'd always clung to, times when he'd smiled at her or touched her hand or said a kind word, and wondered if they had ever meant anything. She had the feeling that there was a good chance that every movement was just Yami being a good friend. Yuugi and Yami were a packaged deal and there was just no room for her in between the two of them. She had probably been foolish to try.

The tears came for real them, hot and bitter against her skin, and she sniffed quietly, relieved that no one else was around to share in her humiliation. Or at least, until she got to the end of her street. Even from several houses away she could see the brightly coloured car that had pulled up in front of her house. There was a very familiar woman leaning against the hood. Blonde curls tumbled down a purple jacket as Mai straightened up and turned to look at her. Anzu stopped a few feet away, not even bothering to make an effort to hide the fact that she had been crying. It would've been pointless as she suspected that Mai would have seen straight through it anyway.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling her own coat more tightly around her.

"Jou called me," said Mai. "He said that Honda said you sounded like you could use someone to talk to." She lifted one shoulder and let it fall in a shrug. "Normally I don't do this sort of thing, but I suppose in this case I could make an exception."

Anzu stared at her. "I don't need your pity, Mai," she said. It was meant to sound angry but it just came out as tired.

"Who said anything about pity? I've been where you are," Mai replied. "Pretty much every girl I know has been. It sucks." She pushed herself off of the car. "And what's worse is you'll probably be there again. If you want to go to your room and mope for a while that's your right but I have a better way of dealing with it. Sometimes you just need to go out and forget and remember that there are other things in the world. If you're interested, I've got some free time. If you're not, that's fine. It makes no difference to me."

Inside the Mazaki house, the lights went off. Anzu stared at the house for a long time and tried to picture what would happen if she went inside. Her mother would probably get up just to make sure that she was okay considering the time. She'd know that Anzu had been crying and she wouldn't let things go until she knew why. She didn't think she could handle an interrogation, not when everything was still so new and fresh. And when put against the idea of going god knew where with Mai, there was really no contest. She walked over to Mai's car and opened the front door, swinging herself inside. Mai smiled and got into the driver's seat and a moment later they were roaring away from the curb.

**INC**

Yami sat very still for a long, tense moment, staring at the spot where Yuugi had been. He couldn't help the startled yelp that escaped when he felt Yuugi's shields going up, so sharply that it was a bit like being pricked with the tip of a knife. Judging from the way that Bakura jumped and swore loudly a second later, Ryou had done the same thing to him, leaving them effectively cut off from their lighter halfs and whatever might be going on in there. It was tempting to jump off of the bed and knock on the door, or better yet to listen with his ear against the door in the hopes that some fragment of their conversation might pass through. But Yami had better manners than that and he grabbed Bakura's collar, stopping the other man from doing just that as he looked at Dark Magician Girl.

"What that really necessary?" he asked quietly, studying her face. She was as familiar to him now as she had been a thousand years ago, but he could see a seriousness in her that had not been there before. Not for the first time he wondered what else had happened while he'd been gone.

"Yes," she whispered, staring down at her clasped hands. "I'm sorry, but I - the fertility of a male is not the same. Not_ nearly_. They only sow life; they're not the ones that grow it. And if we had told them about Yami Malik Mahado was worried that it would void the ritual because then Yuugi and Ryou wouldn't be making the choice on their own. They would have been affected by outside influences." Her expression was so miserable when she glanced up that he shifted closer and placed a hand on her arm in an attempt to comfort her. She gave him a thin smile in return. "It wasn't - I know that it was wrong for us to keep something like that from them. I didn't want to and neither did Mahado. We just didn't have a choice."

"I suppose it's for the best." Yami tried to smile but he really just felt hollow and he was afraid that might be reflected in his face. Children had never been something he'd thought about. Ever. Back in Khemet, he'd been so preoccupied with Seth and the Millennium Items that the thought of marriage or children had been the last thing on his mind. And even now, he'd only just gotten his body back and he didn't even know if it was possible for him to have kids even if Yuugi was capable. But he still felt like something had been stolen from him, from them, and he didn't know if it was worse or better that he wasn't sure if he'd wanted it or not.

He glanced over at Bakura. The other man was sitting stiffly, face turned towards the bathroom door, though his eyes had taken on a glazed expression that made Yami doubt he was really watching. When he noticed Yami's perusal, and it took a couple of seconds which was unusual for Bakura, he scoffed. "It's not like I care, Pharaoh," he said crossly.

"I know," Yami said and he did know that Bakura probably did care if only because he was the last of his village and it would have been a way to make sure that Kuru Eruna survived. But he knew better than to say anything. He turned back to Dark Magician Girl, noticing again how upset she looked. "It's alright, Mana. The safety of the whole world matters more than anything you could have taken from us."

And in the end, he supposed, that really was the truth.

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Please review!


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews! Enjoy.

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Yuugi washed her face and hands, feeling tired and hungry and a little bit giddy. She found she couldn't keep the undoubtedly foolish smile from her face when she looked at Ryou, who was shaking her head. The little bout of laughter had lightened things between them and she felt better for it in spite of what they had just been told, good enough to lower the shield between her and Yami a fraction. Immediately Yami's emotions rushed over her, worried and curious about her state of mind after hearing their laughter. Her smile turned fond as she ducked her head and soothed him, freely offering up the memory of Ryou's comment as an explanation, and she could feel his smirk in response.

/I'm okay,/ Yuugi concluded. /Really, Yami. I… I shouldn't have run away like that./ It had been cruel of her to leave him out there wondering. She had to remember that she was no longer just a half who had to deal with things on her own. No, now she was a whole and she and Yami would be dealing with things together from now on. /I'm sorry for making you worry./

\It's alright, Aibou, I understand and I'm glad that you're okay,/ Yami replied. He went quiet, suddenly, and she didn't understand why until there was a knock on the door in the other room. Yuugi tilted her head, curious, and listened to the faint murmur of voices.

A moment later there was another knock, this time on the door of the bathroom, and then Jou's voice was saying, "Yuugi? Um, if you and Ryou are - you know - done with… um, whatever you're doing in there, could you come out? Seto - Kaiba says he has something to tell you."

Yuugi's mouth was twitching and she had to look away from Ryou, who had covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud at the obvious discomfort in poor Jou's voice. There was so much wrong with those two sentences that she didn't even know where to start. "We'll be right out!" she called once she was sure she could speak without giggling, and it was fortunate that she wasn't a meaner person because she didn't think she had ever been handed a better opportunity to make Jounouchi Katsuya squirm. The temptation was definitely there but she brushed it off and helped Ryou to her feet instead.

Dark Magician Girl was gone. Yami and Bakura were still there, but they had been joined by Seto, Jou, Mokuba, Isis and Malik. She wondered where Rishid, Anzu and Honda had gone as she walked Ryou over to the bed and let her sit down. "What's going on?"

"This is for you," Mokuba said and the grin on his face made Yuugi narrow her eyes suspiciously as she took the card he was holding out. He gave one to Ryou as well. She didn't know what she was expecting to see, an identity for Yami maybe, but it certainly wasn't what she saw.

The card turned out to be an I.D., made out to Mutou Yuugi. It had a picture of her (and where the hell had Mokuba gotten _that_?) with her hair loose around her shoulders in the style she wore as a girl. Though the picture was only from the collarbone and up, she looked unquestionably female. And sure enough, under "Gender" the F was circled, not the M. Yuugi stared at that little spot for a long time, feeling cold. This was proof, undeniable _proof_ that she could hand to anyone in the real world. It was... bewildering. Lost, she looked up at Seto with a question in her eyes.

"Everything has been legally changed," he told her quietly. "Your school records, medical, dental, even the hospital records from when you were born. For both of you," he added, glancing over at Ryou, who looked as confused as Yuugi felt. "Everything now states that the two of you were born with both male and female reproductive parts and your parents chose to raise you as males until you hit puberty and it became evident which sex you had more in common with. Now you're older you've both made the decision to live as females."

"And you... you can do that?" Ryou said, overwhelmed.

Seto shrugged. "I can't think of anyone who is going to know or care enough to fight it," he pointed out. "What difference does it make? From now on you can attend Kaiba Corp doctors when you're ill or injured. They all had to sign non-disclosure agreements before coming under my employment so you won't have to worry about anyone asking unnecessary questions, and you won't need to go back to whatever family doctor you were using before. Your old records have been destroyed." He paused for a moment, clearly uncomfortable. "Anyway, all it means is that now you won't have to live as boys unless you want to. No one will question the fact that you're biologically female and even if they did they wouldn't be able to find any proof."

"Seto..." Yuugi honestly didn't know what to say. She hadn't really thought this far ahead, truth be told. She'd assumed that she and Ryou would just keep on the way that they had been until… until what? Until they moved away and didn't return to Domino City? She looked down at the card again, suddenly realizing what paths it opened up for them.

"What about the students in our class?" Ryou asked. She flushed a little, her cheeks turning pink. "They can tell... I mean, we used to change in the locker rooms."

A small smirk crossed Seto's face. "I have yet to meet a teenaged boy who would be comfortable enough to admit that they stared at a male classmate closely enough to tell," he drawled.

"He's got a point," said Jou. "I wouldn't."

"You don't have to use them," Mokuba said finally, getting to the point. "It's just in case. You could still live as boys, you know, if you wanted to. Nii-sama thought – _I_ thought that it might make life easier for you but that's your choice to make. If you think it would be too hard to do it now you could wait until you're out of school." He sounded envious, like being finished with school was everything he'd been dreaming of, and Yuugi had to smile. Sometimes she forgot that Mokuba really was just a kid.

"I guess we'll have to think about it," she said. "But – but thank you. This is…" Words failed her. This meant not having to hide anymore, being able to walk around in the female clothing she was slowly becoming more accustomed to, possibly even on Yami's arm. Her cheeks coloured faintly at the idea and she swallowed. And she knew how lucky she and Ryou were: anyone else in this impossible situation would have faced a lot more difficulty if they didn't have Kaiba Seto's power and influence paving the way.

"We're not done yet." From behind his back, Mokuba held up two thick envelopes. He handed one to each Yami and Bakura. Yuugi watched curiously as they tore them open and this time wasn't surprised by what they held, though she was relieved. Identities: birth certificates, ID cards, falsified school records, passports, even a debit card. Mokuba was grinning. "Iron clad. I suggested that we give you driver's licenses but Nii-sama said no."

"_Thank _you," Ryou said emphatically, shooting Seto a relieved look.

"This will certainly make your life easier," said Isis, picking up one of the ID cards and peering at it. Malik leaned over her shoulder to look, too.

"To a point," Seto allowed. "But there is only so much that even falsified records can do. Anyone who is testing your knowledge would realize that you didn't go to school. So you'd better be careful." Somehow he managed to make that caution sound more like a taunt and Yami's eyes narrowed in response. Yuugi, watching the two of them, couldn't keep herself from rolling her eyes in amused exasperation. Apparently there were some things that would never change.

She reached out and took the ID from Isis, glancing at it. It was very similar to hers except it had a picture of Yami looking the way he did now and again she had to wonder where Seto and Mokuba had gotten it from. The name was actually written as 'Kin Yami' and said that his birthday was April 4th. She noticed that meant he was nineteen years old. She studied Yami for a moment and decided that was probably a reasonable estimate - and it would mean that he was only a couple of years older than she was. The address was the Kame Game Shop and his guardian was listed as Mutou Sugoroku.

Bakura's, meanwhile, had been written out to a Hi Bakura, and just like Yami's it had a picture of Bakura with tanned skin and lavender eyes (it was a surprisingly good picture, too). His birthday was September 29th so he was twenty years old. Yuugi hid a smile with her hand, knowing that Yami wouldn't be very happy when he realized that Bakura was supposed to be older than him. His address was the same as Ryou's but, being that he was twenty and therefore considered an adult, there was no guardian listed.

"They look really good," she said finally. "Thank you, Seto." It was oddly liberating to think that with these IDs she and Yami could go anywhere they wanted. It was also more tempting than it should have been to track her mother down so that she could throw the ID in her face and prove that things weren't ruined after all.

"Don't thank me," said Seto. "The only payment I want is my duel."

Yami smirked. "If you're that eager to lose, Kaiba, I'm all too willing."

"Not right now you're not," Yuugi said firmly. There was no way Yami would be able to stand up long enough to duel and trying would only exacerbate his wounds.

"But Aibou - "

"No buts and I mean that." She included Seto in her stern glare.

"Fine, as soon as I'm healed I'll take you up on that," Yami said.

Seto nodded. "Deal."

**INC**

For some reason that Ryou couldn't put her finger on, it still surprised her to see that her home looked exactly the same way it had when she and Yuugi had gone into the Shadow Realm with Dark Magician Girl. There was only one subtle but pointed change: her father. She approached the door slowly and opened it quietly, listening. Sure enough, she could hear a man's laughter, deep and sounding just a little hoarse, along with lines from a bawdy television show that Ryou had rarely watched even when she was a boy. A very small smile lifted the corner of her lips and she eased the door shut, not bothering to remove her shoes, seeing as how she was fairly certain that the medicated bandages, kept in place by said shoes, were the only things keeping her standing.

"Tou-san?" she called out. "Tou-san, I'm home."

The television was muted suddenly as she spoke, and then there was the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching the kitchen. Ryou took a deep breath and faced doom with a calm heart, knowing what he would see as soon as he walked into the room. She was dressed very plainly in a pair of blue jeans and a purple tank top, but there was no mistaking the fact that she was no longer a boy. Her tank top fit tightly to her breasts and hips in a way that no one would be able to miss. She hadn't even bothered trying to hide it, knowing that the sooner Osamu understood the change that had come over her the better off they would all be. So she faced him with a pounding heart but composed face as he rounded the corner.

He stopped and stared in silence, letting the seconds tick by while his eyes took in every inch. Strangely he didn't look around for a boy: his gaze went straight to her and settled there. Finally, he said, "Hello, Ryou."

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**A/N:** Fun fact: Yami's and Bakura's birthdays were not randomly chosen. April 4th is the day that season zero was first aired in Japan (a good day!). September 29th is the day that Yu-Gi-Oh was first aired in North America. Fun fact number two: Kin is gold (or metal) in Japanese and Hi means fire.

Please review!


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews… enjoy!

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To say that Bakura was unimpressed that Ryou was trying to leave without him was an understatement. Yuugi listened to the argument that was going on as she got dressed in the clothing that Isis had brought to the room for her: a simple pair of black jeans and a green tank top, similar to what Ryou had been given. The argument wasn't that interesting, as she already knew that Ryou was going to win and she also knew why. Ryou was worried that if the conversation between her and her father didn't go well, Bakura wouldn't be able to control his temper. Unconsciously Yuugi's hand rose and she touched her cheek, where the bruising had mostly faded, leaving only the faintest discoloration along the apple of her cheek. Yes, she could definitely understand why.

She finished pulling her tank top on and flipped her hair out, automatically adjusting her breasts inside of the bra, looking grimly at her reflection. Ryou wasn't the only one who was about to go into battle. Yami wasn't ready to leave the bed even if it wasn't for a duel. Though the knife wounds would heal given time and care, they were still tender enough that the stitches could be ripped out if he wasn't cautious. For that matter, Bakura was in a similar boat: even breathing caused him pain, though being Bakura he was doing his best to bear it in a stoic silence. That was the other reason why Ryou wasn't going to give in.

Abruptly it went quiet outside and she decided it was safe to venture out. She opened the bathroom door and immediately understood why. The doctor was back, no doubt summoned by Seto or Mokuba after hearing about the argument that had broken out. She'd give the man credit for the fact that he seemed completely undeterred by the frigid looks cast in his direction by both Yami and Bakura. Twice Ryou had to grab Bakura's hand and give it a warning squeeze to stop him from sending the doctor to the Shadow Realm. Fortunately Yami was better behaved, but only marginally, his face remaining set in an expression that, had it been slightly less murderous, could only be described as a pout.

"I stand by what I said before," the doctor concluded at last, removing the earpieces of the stethoscope from his ears. "Both of you will be better off in that bed. Moving around too soon could put your recovery back by several days and possibly even cause permanent damage."

"Thank you," Yuugi said before either Yami or Bakura could speak. "Have you – is there something they should be taking?"

"I've prescribed a round of antibiotics for you," the doctor said to Yami. "In this case I think it's better to be safe than sorry. I don't like the look of that wound on your lower back." He reached into a pocket of his coat and removed a couple of white bags. "The blue pills are the antibiotics and need to be taken twice a day with food. The pink pills are for pain and there is enough for both of you. They're quite strong so I would suggest no more than four a day spaced four hours apart, and then only if they're absolutely necessary - and I feel I should add that they are not to be used as an instrument to avoid taking the proper precautions and getting up before you're ready." He levelled a stern look at Yami and Bakura.

"Thanks," Yuugi said again, accepting the bags and making a mental note of his instructions. She set them aside and watched as the doctor began to tend to Ryou's feet, checking over the cuts and scratches before smearing each foot with a slave and wrapping them in gauze. Judging by the look of relief on Ryou's face, the medication was doing a lot to alleviate her discomfort. He told Ryou to stay off her feet as much as possible, performed a perfunctory check over Yuugi, and then was out the door.

The second the door was shut, Bakura said, "You're not going."

"I have to go," Ryou said just as impatiently.

"Actually, I do too," Yuugi admitted, wincing when Yami's head snapped around to stare at her. "I need to talk to Jii-chan. I left so quickly and didn't explain to him what was going on. He's probably worried sick." She was actually looking forward to being able to tell her grandfather the whole story. He was one of the few people that she could trust that would not only keep her confidence, but also support her in whatever she chose.

"You're not going alone," Yami said and started to sit up.

"Yami, stop it!" Yuugi exclaimed, rushing over to the bed. "The doctor said - "

"What if your mother shows up?" Yami interrupted her.

"She's my mother, Yami. She's not going to hurt me." His eyes flicked up to her cheek meaningfully and she amended, "Not anymore, at least." She perched on the end of the bed and took his hand, automatically falling silent when she realized that Bakura and Ryou were listening. /Yami, please. I really need to do this by myself. I know you want to come with me to make sure I'm alright but now that we have the bond back you'll be able to make sure I'm okay anyway, right?/

\I should be there with you just in case,\ he said reluctantly. He knew that she was right. He was in too much pain to stand up for any length of time. But he would have done it if it meant that Yuugi would be safe. Her eyes went soft when all of that flooded across their bond and she sighed, leaning down until their faces were so close that it would have been very easy to kiss him, though she refrained. She stayed there for a few seconds, just breathing him in, before she straightened up and flipped her hair over one shoulder in a gesture that was becoming disturbingly familiar.

"We're going," she said firmly. "But we won't go alone. I'll take Jou and Malik will go with Ryou. And if you really don't want Malik and Ryou to be alone then I'm sure Isis would be willing to come, too." She looked at Ryou who was nodding.

"There you go," she said to Bakura and then she fell silent, and Yuugi had the feeling that the two of them were having a conversation not unlike the one that she and Yami had just had. It ended with Ryou leaning down and kissing the tip of Bakura's nose. Bakura looked at her like she was crazy and Ryou just giggled in response as she stood up, apparently not minding the pain in her feet. "Come on, Yuugi, before they change their minds."

\Make sure you keep the bond open or I'm going to come after you no matter how much it hurts,\ Yami warned.

/You stay right where you are and try not to kill Bakura,/ Yuugi replied, squeezing his hand tightly before letting go. She was too embarrassed to kiss him when Bakura and Ryou were around. She would save that for when she returned. She stood up and walked over to the door, holding it open for Ryou. Even though it was hard to close it, she couldn't help breathing a soft sigh of relief. That... had not been a battle that she was expecting to win. Some part of her was honestly still amazed that she and Ryou hadn't been chained to the bed.

"Come on," Ryou said again, grabbing her arm and pulling her along. "I wasn't joking. I think, no I _know_ Bakura is already re-thinking this. Let's get Malik and Jou and Isis and get out of here."

It didn't take much convincing to for their friends to agree to come along. Isis in particular said yes surprisingly quickly and there was an odd twinkle in her eyes that made Yuugi look at her questioningly, but Isis just shook her head and winked when Ryou's back was turned. Though she was curious, Yuugi let the matter go as she followed Jou outside. She could tell from the look on his face that he was happy she had asked him to come along instead of Ryou and that made her feel good. As a bonus, she knew that Jii-chan would like seeing them together; he had a particular soft spot for Jou.

"Explain to me again how you got Seto to agree to lend us not one but two of his cars?" Yuugi asked as she slipped into the car behind Jou. It wasn't a limo but something more sedate, sleek and black with tinted windows and a solemn faced driver. She suspected Ryou, Malik and Isis had found the same.

Jou started and a faint flush crossed his cheeks. "I, ah, what makes you think this was because of me? No one has ever stopped you from using the cars before."

"True," Yuugi said slowly, fascinated by the gradual progression of blush down his neck, "but these cars are more personal than the limos." It was the truth. Every time she remembered seeing Seto and Mokuba they had been in a limo… except for one time. Way back when she and Ryou had first encountered the brothers at the grocery store, they had been driving around in a car much like this one, and she would have been willing to bet a fair amount of money that this was the private transportation Seto used when he didn't want to attract attention. She looked Jou squarely in the eyes. "And that I think about it you were in his office when we knocked on the door. Is there something you want to tell me, Jou?"

It was amusing to watch Jou visibly squirm. "Yuugi…"

Yuugi just raised an eyebrow because honestly, any guilt she might have had when it came to prying was far outweighed by her burning curiosity. "Jou?"

"I guess he's not as bad as I thought," Jou ground out finally and it actually sounded like it was paining him to say even that much. He looked uncomfortable, his hands lightly curled into fists. "He's… he's still an asshole, sometimes. But every once in a while he tries. Sort of. It's not like I_ like_ him or anything like that. Kaiba will never change, not really."

"No," Yuugi said slowly. "I don't suppose he will. But I think you like him that way more than you're willing to admit."

For a moment she actually thought that he might lash out on something. A furious blush painted his cheeks and he jerked his head away, staring fixedly out the window. "It's not like that, Yuugi."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Only… it seems like maybe it sort of is." He didn't say anything and she fell silent, watching him out of the corner of her eye while she pondered over what to say next. In spite of her teasing she wanted this to go well if Jou was serious. He and Seto could be good for each other. But just because she was a girl didn't mean she'd magically developed the ability to discuss relationships with any degree of tact, so she reached over and squeezed his arm. "Look, I'm not trying to push you into anything. It's… it's hard." She could attest to that. "I'm just saying… if you ever want to talk to someone about it, I'm here."

He let out a slow breath and smiled weakly at her, but the gratitude was real. "Thanks, Yuugi."

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**A/N:** Just to give you all advance warning so no one freaks out, there will not be an update next week as I'm going to be too busy with the holidays. In that respect, Merry Christmas (or happy holidays), Happy New Year, and I'll see you all in 2013!


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N:** I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Years! I hope this chapter makes up for the two week wait. Enjoy!

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"You... you know who I am?" The words slipped out without any real conscious permission on Ryou's part. She was too stunned. On the drive over, she had tried to imagine how this meeting was going to go. Most of the scenarios she had come up with had not ended well. In spite of that, she had convinced Malik and Isis to stay in the car while she went in to speak with her father by herself. She was still convinced that this was something she had to face on her own. To be honest, she had been expecting more of a fight over it than she'd gotten; Isis had agreed quickly while Malik looked at his sister like she had lost her mind.

"Yes," Osamu said, folding his arms across his chest and drawing Ryou out of her thoughts. He was still looking at her, no doubt cataloguing all of the differences between the son he had left behind and the daughter that was standing in front of him. His eyes lingered briefly on her hair, chest, and hips and Ryou fought the urge to squirm. Finally, he looked her in the eyes. "I know who you are. I've been expecting you for a couple of days now. Why don't you go sit down in the living room and I'll make some tea. Or would you prefer hot chocolate?"

"Um... tea is fine," Ryou said, wondering if she had accidentally entered the wrong house. Never in her life could she ever remember a time when her father had made tea for himself, much less someone else. He had always been the sort of person who waited for her mother to make him food or drink, and then later for Ryou to do it. She didn't even know that he knew how to use the electric kettle. She kept an eye on him as she moved into the living room, but he seemed to be handling the kettle with ease, pouring hot water in the top and setting it down on the base, then switching it on, and all without causing a fire, spilling anything or burning any part of him. It was a major accomplishment. It left her feeling completely off-balance.

She sat down on the couch and looked around, noting that the television had been turned off completely, something else that was unusual. Osamu was a major TV lover and whenever he was home he usually made it a point to invest in as much as television as he could get, like he was making up for lost time. Usually it was on for the entire time that he was in the house and it would drive Ryou crazy, but in this case she actually wished that they could turn it on. At least that way the room wouldn't feel so completely silent. By the time her father walked through the door holding a tray with two cups of tea on it she was fidgeting.

"Here," he said, handing her one of the mugs. "I wasn't sure what you took in it."

"This is fine." Ryou was actually a little relieved as she peered down at the dark liquid. He'd left it black. If he had known that she took two sugars in it, she probably would've had to call the hospital because it would have meant that her father had been replaced by a mysterious look alike. She lifted the mug to her lips and took a cautious sip, aware that he was watching her intently. She was surprised to find that it was actually good and said so.

Osamu smiled smugly. "I have to say it's a lot easier to make a good cup of tea when you have the right instruments," he said, nodding towards the kitchen. "Try making it over a campfire. Now_ that_ is a hard won cup of tea."

"Who _are_ you?" Ryou burst out, unable to keep the question contained inside of her any longer. Osamu blinked and fell into silence as she said, "You're like a stranger to me. I don't recognize you at all. If I didn't know better I'd think that they sent the wrong man back from Egypt. I mean, you... you're making tea and you actually got up to see me and you... you're _laughing_." She stared at him, bewildered, realizing that that was the biggest change of all. She hadn't seen him look or act like this since before her mother died. She repeated, somewhat helplessly, "Who are you?"

\Do you think he's been possessed?\ came Bakura's voice in her mind, so suddenly that Ryou jumped and sloshed tea all over her hand. She swore softly under her breath and grabbed a napkin as Bakura chuckled, amused by the fact that she was cursing at all. \I'm being a bad influence on you, hikari.\

/Of course you are, you always have been,/ she retorted, licking at her hand to remove the swiftly cooling liquid. It left behind a bright red mark but it didn't hurt too badly. She looked at Osamu, who hadn't moved but was still watching her, and said, "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell at you, especially not now. I can hardly accuse you of being a stranger to me when I..." She gestured lamely to her body. "You haven't even started yelling at me yet and you'd have every right to. And you haven't freaked out about the fact that I'm now a girl. So I'm sorry. I just... don't understand."

Osamu nodded. "I know," he said just when Ryou had thought that she'd fulfilled her quota of surprise for the day. "To tell the truth, Ryou, I already knew about you before you arrived."

Her mouth dropped open and for a full minute she just stared at him, speechless. In her head, Bakura had also gone quiet, so it took her a moment to recover. Osamu waited patiently until she managed to say, "You… you knew? But how…?"

"I'm sure you're aware that I sent you several text messages and tried to call you many times since I arrived," said Osamu, folding his arms. "I know I haven't been the best father to you over the past few years but I'm not so far gone that I don't notice when my own son isn't where he said he would be. And when I got here and found the doors unlocked, dishes in the sink and _female clothing _all over the bedroom upstairs, well…" He spread his hands and shrugged, as though to say 'what was I supposed to think?'

"Oh," Ryou said sheepishly, looking down at what remained of her tea. "I'm… sorry about that. I didn't realize how it would look. I thought we would be - " She stopped before she could finish her sentence because she didn't want him to ask where they would have been coming back from. "But I still... that doesn't explain how you knew."

"No, it doesn't," he said softly and she could feel his eyes on her. "As I said, when you didn't answer your phone I started to get concerned. I remembered you writing me about some of the friends you had made in the city. I was going to see if I could track down where they lived, maybe go over and see if their parents knew anything about what was going on. I didn't get very far, though. One of your friends decided to visit me. I'm sure you know her well; she said her name was Isis."

"Oh!" Ryou sat up straight, startled. "You... Isis-san? But how...?"

"I normally make it a point to not intervene as much as possible," said a new voice before Osamu could reply, and Ryou realized that Isis and Malik had entered the room while she was preoccupied. Malik looked as shocked as Ryou felt: evidently he hadn't realized what Isis was going to do, either. "But in this case I decided to make an exception. I know that this situation has been very difficult for you and Yuugi. I couldn't do anything to help her with her mother, I'm afraid." Isis sounded genuinely regretful about that. "In your case, however, I thought it might be better if your father heard the news from someone who wasn't quite so emotionally invested in what was going on. Not to mention, someone who could answer his questions."

"Yes, I had plenty of those," Osamu said wryly, folding his arms. "Ryou, why didn't you tell me about all of this sooner? Why did you keep it a secret? I never would have given you the Millennium Ring if I had known that it was going to get you into so much trouble. We could have taken it away, done something about it to protect you."

"I... I didn't know how to tell you," she admitted. "It just seemed... so fantastical." She couldn't tell him that she hadn't wanted him to know because she was afraid of what Bakura, who had been under the influence of Zorc at the time, might have done if Osamu had come back while Ryou was still wearing the Millennium Ring, especially if he had tried to take the Ring away. No, there were things about Bakura that she _never _wanted him to know. He didn't look convinced, though, so she added, "And... I wasn't sure that you would believe me."

"I thought that might be it." He sighed. "I know I haven't been a very good father to you since your mother died."

It was the second time in as many minutes that he'd said that. It made it no less surprising to hear. "Otou-san..."

He gave her a bitter smile. "You may be right, Ryou. No, you _are_ right. There's a good chance that I wouldn't have listened to you. You reminded me... you remind me so much of your mother. It's hard for me to be around you when I see her every time I look at you. That's no excuse but it's the only one I've got. It was bad enough that I left you here alone but now I understand you've been in a lot of danger without me and that just makes it even worse. I'm not sure that I could have even helped, but..." He trailed off and shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry."

Ryou just looked at him. She had no idea what to say. This was so far outside the realm of what she'd been expecting. "Are you angry at me?" she asked finally.

"A little. Especially at first, and I'm glad you weren't here that day because my gut reaction was not a very good one. But now that I've had some time to think about it I realize that the blame for this situation lies on the both of us. I should have been a better father to you and given you more reason to trust me. Besides, I assume that since you showed up here dressed like that you were going to tell me the truth?"

She nodded. "I wasn't going to... I didn't see the point in lying to you or trying to cover it up. I mean, even though you're not home very much I know that sooner or later I would've slipped up. But I didn't realize..." She looked over at Isis, who smiled.

"I know, and I'm glad that you were going to tell me. It makes the things that Isis-san has been telling me that much easier to believe," Osamu said. Ryou blinked at that and was immediately curious to know what Isis had been telling him, but she didn't get the chance to ask. Osamu stood up and cleared his throat, looking unusually nervous. "Ryou, this seems as good a time as any to tell you... do you remember me saying that I had a surprise for you?"

"Yes," Ryou said, even though that surprise had been the furthest thing away from her mind. She didn't know how many more surprises she could take. She tried to brace herself because at this rate Osamu could be coming out with just about anything. "What is it?"

"I didn't know how to tell you this. I still don't. I expect the easiest way is to come right out and say it." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ryou, I've met someone, a colleague of mine. I'm considering asking her to marry me. I was hoping that if she says yes, or even if she doesn't, you would consider moving to Egypt with me so that we could be a family together."

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Please review!


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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For the first time in what felt like a long time, Yuugi was actually looking forward to going back to the Game Shop. It had been like a nice little vacation, staying at Ryou's house and then Seto's house, but she knew she was ready to go home. If anything, the experience had taught her that she wasn't quite ready to move away from home yet, though she did briefly entertain the thought of someday living with Ryou (if Bakura and Yami could be persuaded to not kill each other). The thought made her smirk, if only because she thought that the two yamis were actually beginning to get along better than they ever would have thought possible. Yami, who was listening to this, snorted and she grinned.

"What?" Jou asked. He was watching the interesting play of emotions on her face and he looked amused even though he didn't know what she had been thinking. He could guess, though. "What did Yami say?"

"Nothing. I was thinking about our future and I don't think he's on board with my plan, that's all," Yuugi replied. She noticed the way that Jou had frowned and shook her head. "Don't worry; it's not what you're thinking. I'm done with my mother, Jou. I don't want to ever see her or talk to her again." She swallowed, because those were words that she had never believed she would be saying. "Jii-chan told me that I would always have a home with him and that's why I'm going to see him, to make sure that he hasn't let her move back in while I wasn't around. Not that I think he would, but..."

"But it makes sense to check," he concluded, relieved that Yuugi was being sensible about this. Jou had had his fair share of dealing with abusive parents in the past, from his mother who had abandoned him to his father who was best left unmentioned for a variety of reasons. He_ never_ wanted Yuugi to have to live with someone who didn't treat her right, and he wasn't sure that Mutou Koto didn't fall into that group. "I'm sure that your grandfather hasn't let her back in but you're right, Yuugi."

Yuugi shot him a smile as they pulled up in front of the Game Shop. She got out and noticed that the store was positively bustling with people, which was unusual considering that it was a weekday morning. Sugoroku was so busy at the counter that he didn't even notice the two of them at first; he was trying to deal with helping customers and manning the cash at the same time. She and Jou exchanged looks and then split up, with Jou going to help some of the kids pick out their merchandise and Yuugi sliding into place at the register, freeing her grandfather up to answer some of the more intensive questions that she and Jou couldn't.

It took them the better part of an hour to clear the shop out, and by the time the place was empty and they had a temporary reprieve Yuugi was exhausted. Somehow, in the few weeks she'd been gone, she had almost forgotten what it was like when the place was slammed. She closed the register and sat back on the stool, wiping a hand across her forehead. "My god, Jii-chan, has been it like that every day?" she asked tiredly. She hoped not. It would be just like her grandfather not to tell her that things were incredibly busy if he thought that Yuugi had too much on her plate, but he wasn't used to having to work the shop all by himself.

Sugoroku chuckled, though she noticed he looked fatigued. "It's alright, Yuugi. The extra revenue has been good for us," he replied, taking the broom out of the closet. Jou grabbed it from him and began to sweep and Yuugi stood up, ushering her grandfather over to the stool instead. He didn't resist and that told her just how tired he really was.

"I'm sure it has but I don't want you to run yourself ragged in the process," she said, worried. "Why don't we close the shop for the rest of the day?"

"I don't know. You know I hate missing out on potential customers."

"I think we've more than made up for it," Yuugi said. Just one glance at the money stuffed into the cash had told her that much. "Come on, Jii-chan. We'll close up and you can have a little rest while Jou and I put everything away. Then we can sit down and I'll make us some lunch." She winced a little, silently amending that to _ordering_ lunch, and hoped that she had enough money stowed away to pay for Jou's enormous appetite. "I need to talk to you, anyway."

He stared at her for a moment longer, hesitating, before nodding. "Okay, you win," he said. "I suppose this old back of mine could use a little rest. I don't mind staying to help you close up, though."

"Get out of here," Yuugi said, rolling her eyes. She knew that he would stay long past the point when it was safe until his back was aching so badly that he would be holed up in bed for a week. "Jou and I are more than capable of closing up the shop. Go on! We'll come get you once we're done." She folded her arms and stared him down when it looked like he was going to protest and finally Sugoroku caved, nodding his head with faint smile and sliding off of the stool. He rubbed his lower back gently as he moved into the hall, though, and Yuugi gazed after him worriedly.

\I'm sure he'll be fine, Aibou,\ Yami said gently. \Jii-chan may be old but he still has a lot of years left in him.\

"I know but that doesn't mean he shouldn't take good care of himself," Yuugi replied out loud. Jou glanced at her and she gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Jou. I didn't mean to volunteer your time like this. I should have asked whether you even wanted to stay and close the shop. If you'd rather go in back and watch television, I don't mind."

"I'm sure you don't," Jou said. "You're as bad as your grandfather, Yuugi." He turned away before she could respond and finished the sweeping. Yuugi sighed and sat back down on the stool to cash the register out. They worked in silence for about half an hour, putting the shop back into some semblance of order. Once she was done with the money, Yuugi locked the door and turned the sign to closed, and then she started straightening up what remained of the displays, absently keeping note of what would need to be replaced. Finally, Jou turned to her and said, "Would you just go already? I'm not even the one who is going to be talking to him and you're making me nervous just by watching you. I can take care of the rest, seriously. Please just go."

Yuugi blushed, embarrassed that he had seen through her that easily, but nodded. "Thanks," she said again, moving quickly to the hall. She slipped through and entered the back room and then passed into the kitchen. There was no sign of Sugoroku but that wasn't surprising, although it was shocking that he had obeyed orders for once and actually gone to rest. She climbed the stairs and started walking towards his bedroom, but as it turned out there was no need to go that far: he was in Koto's old bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed. She stopped in the doorway and paused, wondering if she should interrupt.

"Yuugi," Sugoroku said without glancing up, and she jumped. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you like that. I knew it was you. If you don't mind... could you come here for a minute?" He looked up and her instinctive urge to say no disappeared in the wake of how hopeful he looked. There was no way she could turn him down. Reluctantly she stepped into the room, and it was almost like walking into a different world. Koto's room was very plainly decorated, with almost no personal effects at all, and what little there had been - pictures of Yuugi as a child and some of her father - was gone.

"She… came back?" Yuugi said hesitantly. Even though it was phrased as a question she knew what the answer was when he winced.

"It was not my intention to let her into the house," he replied, patting the bed beside him, and after a moment's thought she sat down. For the first time she realized he was holding a photo in his hands. It showed her mother and father holding a baby between them. He noticed her interest and smiled sadly. "I loved your father very much, Yuugi. He was a good boy, but he wasn't always smart. When he met Koto, he fell head over heels and never looked back. For a while that wasn't an issue, but…" Sugoroku studied the picture and then sighed. "I'm sorry. I wish that there was something I could to make this right."

"But you can't, Jii-chan, and I don't blame you for that. No one can fix this, not anymore." Because even if Koto came back on her knees begging for forgiveness, Yuugi wasn't sure she would be able or willing to accommodate. "You've done more than enough just by letting me stay here."

"Of course, Yuugi, I told you once that you would always have a home here with me and I meant it," he answered firmly, turning towards her and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He squeezed her tightly. "You're my granddaughter and I love you more than anything else. I am very proud of you for what you've done, you know. Not everyone could make the kinds of decisions that you have made and lived with the consequences. You are a very strong person, Yuugi. Stronger then you give yourself credit for."

"I didn't…" She stopped and exhaled, looking down at her hands. Yami had said something very similar not so long ago but she couldn't help thinking that the two of them were simply wrong. "It wasn't like that. I wanted Yami back because I wasn't strong enough to make it on my own. Maybe if I had been this never would have happened, Jii-chan." And she was talking about a lot more than just Koto's actions.

"You're no worse than the rest of us, then," he said kindly, not bothering to give her any useless platitudes, and she appreciated that. "Yuugi, there is no shame in wanting to be with Yami even if he was just the man you're in love with. To you, he is all that and more, and I can't begrudge you wanting to be with him, especially not when you tried your best to live without him. And whatever results from that, whatever the rest of us have to deal with because of that, is fine. Your mother should have had the maturity to understand that in this case your happiness comes first, no matter how hard the fall out may be. I don't know why she is the way she is but don't ever feel like it's your fault or that you're to blame because you're not."

Hearing him say that released a knot of tension that Yuugi hadn't even been aware of. For the first time she allowed herself to believe that maybe this whole thing with her mom wasn't entirely her fault. She sighed and leaned against him. "She's never coming back, is she?" she asked out loud.

"No, Yuugi, I don't imagine she will." Sugoroku sighed as well. "I told her to take whatever she wanted or needed and not to contact me again." He looked very old in that moment, but he still smiled weakly and leaned over to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I have not heard from her since and I don't except that we ever will. She's gone for good."

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Please review!


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N:** Enjoy.

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Leave. Return with her father to Egypt, or possibly London or maybe even some other city, wherever he decided that they would ultimately end up? There was a time in her life when Ryou would have given anything to hear those words. Being left behind in Domino Japan, a city that was supposed to have been a fresh new start for her whole family, had been difficult. She vividly remembered asking her father why she couldn't come with him instead and how he had looked at her like he couldn't even fathom why she would even bother to ask. He'd left the very next day and Ryou had started her life here alone.

She reached up a hand unconsciously to touch the place on her chest where the Ring used to be. Osamu's eyes tracked her movements and his jaw tightened, though he said nothing, possibly because he realized that he had no right to. Before the Ring her life had been miserable and lonely. She didn't make friends well and it had taken time for her to find some through the role playing games she used to love. Then the Ring came and she'd met Bakura, and he'd destroyed most of those friendships before forcing her to switch schools to meet Yuugi and the others. Everything had changed again, though in the end for the better.

"I don't know," Ryou said finally, realizing that he was still waiting for her to respond. She could tell that it wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, but it was the only one that she felt comfortable giving. She was happy here in Domino with her friends. Since Bakura's return she'd harbored dreams of living here with him, maybe someday with Yuugi and Yami, and going to university and getting a real job. The thought of moving anywhere else hadn't occurred to her for a very long time.

Osamu sighed. "Well, I can't say that I'm surprised by your answer. I'm not going to rush you, of course. I understand that you've built up a life here that you enjoy." He glanced at Isis and Malik. "I'd like for you to give me an answer within a couple of days, though. I don't have much time left and if you decide to come with me there are things I'd like to do that are easier in person, like putting the house up on the market."

"I'll think about it and let you know," she said diplomatically, rising to her feet. There was definitely a lot to think about. Bakura, for example, because there was absolutely no way that Ryou was going to leave him behind. He had to be a part of the deal or her answer was no, period. And what about this colleague that he'd met? Had he already told her about his son? What would he say to explain the fact that he was now in possession of a biological daughter instead? She was tempted to ask, but she wasn't sure she would like the answers.

"Are you leaving?" he asked then, sounding disappointed. "I was hoping that the two of us could spend some time together."

For some reason that she couldn't put her finger on, Ryou really wanted to shout at him. She licked her lips and said calmly, "I have to. I just came to see you so that you would know I'm okay. I have to go back to one of my friend's houses for a while. And I… I need some space to think this over."

He narrowed his eyes slightly and she wondered if he realized that the reason she was leaving was because of Bakura. If he did, he made no mention of it. Instead, he said, "Alright. But I would like to see you while I'm here. Will you meet me for dinner in three days? Anywhere you want to go, my treat."

"Okay," Ryou said because she couldn't think of a good reason to say no. "We'll meet at Burger World at six, then."

"Burger World?" Osamu seemed a little surprised by that, but he recovered and nodded. "I'll see you then. You can bring some of your friends if you want. I'd like to meet the rest of them."

"Okay," she said again and turned somewhat blindly towards Isis and Malik, who reached out and grasped her arm as soon as she was close. His hand was wonderfully solid and sure on her skin and she leaned against him just a little as they proceeded out of the house. Isis came behind them, gently shutting the door, and led the two of them back over to the car. She got in first and left the door open for Ryou and Malik to follow, but Ryou hesitated and Malik turned to look at her questioningly.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "Did you forget something?" He looked back at the house with the sort of expression someone might give a den of depravity. It was evident he had no interest in going back inside.

"No, I just... Did that really happen? Did he really ask me to move with him?" Ryou shook her head in amazement, half-tempted to pinch herself.

\Yes it did,\ said Bakura before she could. \Your father asked you to go to Egypt.\

Ryou listened hard for any indication that he might not want her to go. But Bakura was an excellent liar and so it was impossible to tell what he was really thinking, especially when he had his side of the bond shielded so carefully. "I don't know what to think," she said, speaking to both Bakura and Malik. "I've waited for him to say that to me for most of my life. I always thought I would jump at the chance to go with him. It was all I wanted when I was younger. But now that he's asked..." She trailed off.

"You sound like you don't really want to go," Malik said carefully.

"I don't know what I want. Honestly, it's just such a huge shock," she answered. "I came here thinking that I would be lucky if he ever wanted to speak to me again, and now I find out that he actually wants to spend more time with me now than he ever has before!"

"You're lucky that things turned out the way they did for you," he said, and now there was a trace of bitterness in his voice. Ryou looked at him, really_ looked_ at him, and felt an almost overwhelming flood of sympathy. She hadn't thought much about Malik after he and Isis had left to return to Egypt, too caught up in her own misery, but now she realized that it must have been really hard for him. Isis was a wonderful sister and Rishid was a good brother, but there would have been a lot of tension and guilt on Malik's part, regardless of whether or not his siblings blamed him for what had happened – and she suspected that they didn't.

Looking at it like that, from the point of view of someone who had probably never known what it was like to have a parent want him, her decision seemed like a simple one, but it wasn't. She got into the car with Malik and stared out the window while they drove. Egypt would be a completely different world. Would she go to school or would she study at home? Would her father actually spend time with her? What would his new wife be like if he actually did get married? How hard would it be to have that parental influence over her again after years of living by her own rules?

/What do you think, Bakura?/

\It's your decision to make, not mine.\

/That doesn't mean you can't tell me what you think,/ she replied, slightly annoyed. What she really wanted to ask was whether or not he would come along if Osamu gave his permission. But she wasn't sure if she should, simply because there was a chance that the answer might be no. /Come on, I need to talk to someone about this./

Bakura sighed. \I think that you should take the time you're being offered and think about it,\ he answered, and she could tell that he was becoming a little annoyed by her persistent questioning. \And if you need to talk I'm sure the pharaoh's hikari would indulge you.\

/You are no help,/ Ryou thought, exasperated. She focused on the world outside the window and wondered what it would be like to see sand instead of grass. It would be something completely new, a place where she wouldn't have to worry about people who had once known her as a boy and the things they would say when she and Yuugi revealed themselves as girls. The thought of starting a new life somewhere else without having to hide or think about people's reactions was immensely appealing, she had to admit. But was it enough to give up the little world she had created for herself right here in Domino, Japan?

"Ryou," Isis said, and the sound of her name was accompanied by a hand pressed gently to her forearm. Ryou jumped, startled, and turned to look at them. Malik had turned his head away and he had his eyes shut in what was likely a feigned sleep but Isis was watching her with a faint smile.

"Sorry. What is it?" Ryou said, realizing that Isis had probably been trying to get her attention for a couple of minutes now. She had been totally lost in thought.

"It's alright. I just wanted to say that I apologize for speaking to your father without your knowledge or permission," Isis said, taking her hand away. She clasped her hands in her lap, an unusually nervous move on her part, and continued, "I wasn't sure if you would be hiding the truth from him or not. I was trying to make your life easier. I thought that you would want me to step in, but - "

"I did!" Ryou cried before Isis could say anything else. "Oh, Isis, you don't know how much easier you made things for me. I was _terrified_ to tell him the truth. Knowing that you paved the way was a huge relief. To be honest, I did think about hiding this a lot more seriously than I wanted to let on. I mean, he's gone all the time so I really would have only had to act as a boy every few months when he comes home. And I could have done it: I've been a boy for almost all of my life, and the two of us aren't close so I doubt that he would have noticed the difference."

"Then why didn't you?" Isis asked, and she looked genuinely curious.

"Because it's not fair," Ryou said softly, and Malik turned and looked at her. She looked back at him squarely and tried to sort out her thoughts. "Yuugi told her mother and grandfather and accepted the consequences. It only seemed right that I did too." She paused briefly. "I… I don't want to spend the rest of my life hiding who I am. That puts unnecessary stress on everyone who knows, but especially Bakura and Yuugi, and I don't want to do that to them _or _myself. I've hidden things before, the Millennium Ring, and it's not fun. It's hard. I might not like being a girl but I can't change that. I have to accept it and the choices I've made or risk spending the rest of my life hating myself." She kept looking straight into Malik's eyes when she added, "No one, no matter what kind of choices they've made, deserves that."

"I agree," Isis said, and Malik made a soft sound before turning hastily to stare back out the window. "I think you're a very smart young woman and I'm relieved that your father was able to accept this as well as can be expected."

Ryou smiled faintly, wondering if Osamu really was taking it as well he seemed to be or if he was more upset than he was letting on. She would need to discuss this with him again, but not before she had the opportunity to talk to Bakura and Yuugi. "Thank you."

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Please review!


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N:** This chapter makes me happy. That is all. Enjoy.

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The following few days were strange as Yuugi and Ryou waited for Bakura and Yami to heal to the point where they would be able to move around. Actually, the both of them healed far more quickly than Yuugi had been expecting - already the knife wounds on Yami's torso and back were losing the vibrant red that marked them as fresh - and she had to wonder if shadow magic had played in hand in that even though they were now human. She wouldn't have put it past either man to have sped up the healing process if at all possible, but she didn't dare suggest it because Ryou was already going crazy trying to make her decision and one more thing might push her over the edge entirely.

She was sitting out in the massive back yard, watching the way the light reflected off of the water in the pool, when Yami came out of the house and found her. He was walking carefully, at least, with one hand placed lightly across his belly for support. Yuugi sat up and shielded her eyes to watch as he picked his way through the grass towards her. Their bond was wide open and she could feel that, although he was in some pain, it wasn't unmanageable. He wasn't even taking the pills for pain that the doctor had given them anymore. As he drew closer, she couldn't help grinning teasingly.

"If we could patent your shadow magic as a universal healer, we'd make a fortune."

Yami smiled. "Shadow magic probably wouldn't have the same effect on someone who hadn't been previously exposed to it," he replied, neither confirming nor denying her suspicions. "Bakura and I, and probably you and Ryou to a certain extent, are so used to it that we can experiment where mortals couldn't." He grunted as he sat down on the edge of the chair and she pulled her legs up to give him a bit more room.

"Well, even though I'm not sure I approve of your methods, I'm glad you're feeling better, Yami," she said, and it was the truth. Seeing him laid up in bed had been harder than she'd expected. Yami had always been so strong, so unshakeable, that seeing him vulnerable was jarring. It was another reminder that he really was human now.

"Me too. You know, we can go home any time you want to," he told her.

"I know. And we will," Yuugi said, leaning back against the chair again. "Only Ryou isn't sure what she wants to do yet, and I know she won't feel comfortable staying here without us. She doesn't know Seto and Mokuba well enough for that. I don't want to put any added pressure on her, either. She's really having a hard time." And that was something Yuugi could understand. She had no idea what she would have chosen to do in Ryou's place, either. "So I think it might be another day or two."

"That's fine. I haven't even dueled Kaiba yet." Yami smirked, crimson eyes gleaming in the sunlight. He couldn't wait to show Seto that he was just as good as ever, human or not. His time in the afterlife had not dulled his senses one bit.

"I should have known that would be the first thing you would want to do. When are you two going at it? I want to make sure I have a front row seat."

"I haven't talked to him about it yet," he admitted. "I wanted to see what your plans were first."

Touched, Yuugi smiled. Sometimes it was hard to believe just how much Yami had changed from the days when she had first met him. "Well, now that you're able to get around without doing too much damage to yourself, you've got my full permission to kick his ass. Just try not to do it so thoroughly that he kicks us out. I'm not sure the game shop is big enough for you and Bakura when he's in such a rotten mood."

He laughed at that. "No, probably not. I hope that Ryou makes up her mind soon, if only to put Bakura out of his misery. I think it's driving him crazy that she hasn't decided what to do yet."

"Then he should talk to her about it," Yuugi said, shrugging. It was hard to have any sympathy for Bakura when he made life so damn difficult for himself sometimes. Ryou had asked him what he thought several times and each time he would simply shrug and refuse to answer. He had even closed off the bond between them. The situation might have been driving Bakura crazy, but it was no less difficult on Ryou.

"Sometimes it isn't that easy," Yami said, and there was something in his voice that made her look at him more closely as he raised his shields a little. Even through them, though, the bond chimed with anxiety and nerves and Yuugi frowned, leaning forward, curious at the way that he wouldn't quite meet her eye.

"Yami? Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked. "Because you know that you can talk to me about anything, right?"

"Of course I do," he said automatically. Then he sighed and looked at her. "Yes, I really do, Aibou. And that's why I actually came out here. There was something I wanted to talk to you about besides our going home. I just… I'm not really sure how."

It was odd to hear that Yami, one of the most confident people that she'd ever met, didn't know how to talk to _her_ about something. Concerned, Yuugi put her legs down on either side of the chair and sat up fully. She leaned forward and took his hand, wondering if he would be more comfortable if they spoke mentally. But then, he knew that option was open to him, so - "Yami, whatever you have to say, please tell me. It can't be that bad. I don't want there to be anything between us anymore."

He nodded and looked very pensive, but he still didn't move or speak. She was beginning to think that he planned to sit there forever when he suddenly leaned forward and kissed her. It was quick and chaste and still set her heart to thumping. By the time he pulled back, her eyes were wide. She stared at him while she brought her hand to her lips, just barely touching the spot where their mouths had met. She imagined that she could still feel his warmth. Yami wasn't looking at her anymore, his gaze was fixed on the ground, but she thought he was blushing. It was actually really… sweet.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?" she asked gently. It was understandable, considering that with everything that had been going on the two of them had barely had the chance to breathe much less discuss the tentative changes that were happening between them. She knew that it was apparent to everyone because even Sugoroku had commented on their relationship while she was visiting him, when he'd referred to Yami being the man she loved, but that didn't mean it wasn't necessary for them to talk about it. Suddenly feeling a little bolder, Yuugi scooted closer to him, close enough that her knee was touching his legs.

"Yes," Yami said. He was watching her closely, his eyes locked onto her face like he could discern what she was feeling through that alone. Amused, Yuugi prodded a little at his shields, trying to remind him that there was another, much easier way to know. He winced a little but smiled, reluctantly dropping his shield so that the full effect of his emotion washed over her. Yuugi's eyes fluttered shut and she couldn't help but bask in the feeling of being loved so deeply and completely. It was intoxicating. She had never imagined that there would ever come a day when someone would feel so strongly for her. It was only fair that Yami know exactly how strongly his feelings were reciprocated. Without hesitation, she pushed everything she was feeling back at him.

He reeled backwards in surprise and Yuugi tightened her grip on his hand to keep him in place. She had never considered herself to be an overly brave person, but she was still the one who said it first. "I love you, Yami. I mean, I've always loved you, ever since the first day that I put the puzzle together and realized that I didn't have to be alone anymore. Even when you made me mad or you upset me, even when you were being a proud idiot, I still loved you." She smiled faintly, remembering many such occasions, and took a deep breath. "But it's more than that. I'm… I've fallen_ in_ love with you."

Yami's eyes had gone wide. There was no way he could doubt her words, not with the way the bond was wide open, allowing every emotion that the two of them were experiencing to bounce back and forth, creating an endless loop. He swallowed and twisted his hand so that their fingers could interlace. He said, "I love you too, Aibou. Yuugi. I think… No, I _know_ that I have been in love with you for a very long time. I didn't understand what I was feeling back then. I was too caught up in everything that was going on. And I thought that maybe you were in love with Anzu." He glanced at her questioningly.

"I was," Yuugi admitted, because there was no point in hiding it. "It took me a little while to realize that even if she was interested, which she wasn't, things wouldn't have worked out between us. We just want different things in life. She wants to go to New York and become a dancer, and I'll be much happier here in Domino City. I wouldn't want to leave Jii-chan and my friends behind. And…" She frowned slightly, trying to think about how best to put her complicated feelings about Anzu into words. "Anzu never really thought of me that way. I was always just her friend. She liked you and I didn't want to stand in the way of that. I didn't know if anything would ever happen between you guys, but I knew I didn't want her to be with me just because she couldn't have you."

"There is nothing between us," Yami said immediately, so fervently that Yuugi knew it was true. "I didn't have time for romance or anything like that back then and now the only one that my heart wants is you, Yuugi. Even if you had stayed a boy, I couldn't imagine leaving you behind to go to America."

"I would've wanted you to go if you had wanted to, but I'm glad I'll never have to face that choice," she admitted. At that, Yami tipped her face up again and kissed her. Yuugi fully enjoyed the kiss, and when he pulled back, she turned her head so that their cheeks were brushing together and she could speak directly into his ear. "My crush on Anzu is gone now, Yami. I haven't thought about her or anyone else like that for a long time. But as soon as you returned, I realized that my feelings for you went much deeper than I ever realized. I just know that I always want to be with you. I don't want anything to come between us ever."

He squeezed her hand and then dropped it so that he could slide his arms around her waist, bringing her into a full hug. There was no need for him to speak, not when she already knew that he felt exactly the same way. Yuugi wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back, just breathing in the calming scent that was so familiar, thinking about how incredibly lucky she was. She knew that in a couple of days she and Yami would be returning to the game shop, and then they would be able to start their normal life together. It would be boring, it would be frustrating as hell sometimes, but she still couldn't wait.

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Please review!


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N:** And another chapter to make us all happy, I think. Enjoy!

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Enough was enough. Ryou was sitting on the edge of what was temporarily her bed, staring down at her cell phone. The message she was looking at was from her father. It was short, simple and to the point: he wanted them to meet at _Burger World_. Tonight. And although he hadn't said as much, she knew why he wanted to meet. He wanted to know whether or not she had made up her mind about Egypt. It was fair and she couldn't say she hadn't seen it coming; he had agreed to give her some time to think things over and it had been three days since she had contacted him. She had been expecting him to call or text at some point. But that did little to stop the frantic pounding of her heart as she read the text over and over, as though it would change or give her some extra time if she read it often enough.

Three days didn't seem nearly long enough to make her decision. She still had no idea what to do. She had discussed it at length with Yuugi, but unfortunately Yuugi couldn't make this decision for her. There were both pros and cons to staying and going, and all of it just went around and around in her mind, an incessant circle. And it was not helping that every time she tried to talk to Bakura about it, he would completely ignore her. She didn't even know if he would agree to come with her if she went, or if he would remain behind in Japan. That was a major factor in her decision and that he wouldn't talk to her was driving her mad.

"And now I'm out of time," Ryou muttered through gritted teeth, snapping her phone shut and sliding it into her pocket. For a couple of minutes she stayed where she was, thinking furiously. Her father still wanted her to invite some of her friends to dinner, but she didn't know if that was such a good idea, tempting though it was to bring along moral support. Actually, she would have liked for Bakura to come along just so that she could introduce her father to her other half, but that was unlikely.

Still, why shouldn't Bakura come? If it weren't for her father's support, Ryou had no idea where the two of them would have ended up. She certainly wouldn't have been able to afford shelter and food for both of them. The least Bakura could do was come to the stupid dinner even if he did sulk the whole time. Mind made up, Ryou stood up and marched over to the door. The halls were quiet, and she wasn't sure where the others were. Jou had been hanging around an awful lot lately, but if he was there he was probably with either Mokuba or Seto. And Yuugi and Yami, well, ever since they had talked their relationship out, the two of them spent an embarrassing amount of time curled up together on whatever surface was available.

She didn't have far to go - just to the door right beside hers. She knocked and then listened, but there was no response. She knocked again. "Bakura, it's me," she called out. "Open the door. We need to talk."

Nothing. Absolutely nothing, the bastard, even though she was positive that he was in the room. Well, that was just fine. With grim determination, she crouched down and looked at the doorknob. It was true that she spent much of her time while Bakura was possessing her body ignorant of what was going on, but there were a few times that she had been conscious and watching and learning. And it turned out that her body, at least, remembered what Bakura had been doing during those times, as evidenced by the fact that she had been able to pick her way into her house about five months ago after she'd accidentally locked herself out. It had prompted her to buy a new door. It would also serve to get her inside now.

There was nothing small enough in the hall to be useful, so she went back to her room and fetched a couple of paperclips. The locks in Seto's house, fancy as they were, took very little effort to work open. In about ten minutes the door was open, and Ryou put her hands on her hips as she stared at her yami. He was reclining casually on the windowsill, one leg hanging down the outside of the house. The slightest thing would be enough to send him toppling out the window entirely. Dangerous, but then that was Bakura for you. She narrowed her eyes. "Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"I heard, I just didn't care," he replied with that easy honesty that was so frustrating. He wasn't looking at her, either. His head was turned away towards the outside, as though he'd seen something fascinating. "Lock picks, I see that I taught you well in at least one thing, hikari. Though I have to admit I never believed_ that_ would be the talent you'd pick up on."

Ryou flushed. "I had to do something. You were ignoring me," she said defensively, putting the bent clips into her pocket. Never knew when she might need them again. She stepped into the room and pushed the door shut so that they wouldn't be disturbed. "Come on, Bakura. I've been trying to talk to you about this ever since I found out, and you can't put it off any longer."

He didn't say anything for a moment. "I suppose it's too much to hope that you would take a hint."

"Not when it's about something like this," said Ryou. "I don't understand why you're acting like this, Bakura. Don't you care where we end up?" She paused, trying to study his back and glean some information about what he might be thinking. He was so familiar to her, but that didn't mean she had any easier of a time understanding him. He looked so closed off.

"I don't see what difference it makes. If you want to go with him, go," Bakura said at last.

"Is that what you want?" she asked, hurt. "Do you even care?"

Bakura turned, finally, and regarded her with a distinctly cool expression. "Why should I?"

"What do you mean, why should you? Japan and Egypt are two totally different places. You must have a preference for one or the other!" Realizing that she was shouting, Ryou took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. That was much easier said than done. She clenched her trembling hands into fists and made herself speak in a level tone. "Or is that you're not willing to be with me either way?"

One shoulder rose and fell in a flippant shrug. "Like I said, it doesn't really matter to me. I don't care what you do. Whether you stay or go, that's up to you, but I'm not going to make the decision for you."

Each word felt like it was hitting her with the force of a bullet. Ryou stared at him for a long minute, speechless. After everything they had been through, all that she had done for him, she couldn't believe he was sitting there and saying these things. "You," she said very slowly, "are one of the worst people I have ever known. I thought that this was a decision that we should be making together, but clearly I was wrong. Maybe I _will _go to Egypt! I bet I would find someone who appreciates me there!" She spun on her heel and stormed out of the room without waiting to hear if he would bother to respond.

About halfway down the hall, just before she got to the stairs, Ryou stopped. That had not gone as she was intending, not at all, and she was beginning to feel a little silly already for her dramatic exit. It was not like her to lose her temper so quickly. How was it that Bakura could make her that angry so easily? She sighed and rubbed at her forehead in silent contemplation, then turned and went back to the room. He was still sitting on the window, but he looked back at her with surprise as she came back in and closed the door behind her again. Ryou met his eyes and deliberately lowered her shields, so that if he wanted he could sense whether or not she was telling the truth.

"Sometimes I don't understand you," she began quietly. "It happens more often than I would like. You are my other half, my darkness, and when we fight I don't feel right. I hate that. Seeing you act so cold over the past few days reminds me of how you were when Zorc possessed you, and that bothers me more than I can say. I know you're not comfortable with talking about emotions and things like that, so I won't press you very much. Just answer me this. Do you want me to go to Egypt?"

His eyes were dark, shadowed by the way he was sitting, and she couldn't make out what he was thinking through his shields. But finally, just when she thought that he was going to sit there and not say or do anything, he shook his head. It was almost imperceptible, and she only caught the movement because she was watching him so closely, but it was there. A hard knot that had been building in her chest from the second that Osamu had asked her to come to Egypt with him finally eased, and in that moment Ryou knew what her answer was going to be. She smiled, nearly giddy with relief, and crossed the room. There was just enough space for her to sit beside him on the sill if she tucked herself between his thighs, and she did.

"When I was younger," she said, looking over her shoulder at the grounds below, "that was all I wanted, you know. I hated him for leaving me behind. I hated you for that, too. I'll never understand why I wanted you back so much." She reached for his hand and took it, and although his fingers lay motionless against hers he didn't pull away. "But I did. And now that Otou-san has asked me to go to Egypt with him, I realize that even if I didn't have you I still wouldn't want to go. I've built a life for myself here in Domino. It took a long time, but I'm not unhappy anymore. I like it here, and I'm going to stay."

Had she not been sitting so close, Ryou wouldn't have felt the subtle relaxation in his once tense muscles. She smiled to herself. Now that she had made her decision she felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and it was an intoxicating feeling. Impulsively, she turned her head and caught Bakura's mouth in a kiss. He stiffened in renewed surprise, clearly not expecting the move, and Ryou remained gentle, letting him control the pace. It was easily the sweetest kiss they had ever shared.

He pulled back and looked at her, and then she felt the shields that he had built up falling away. Emotion flooded into her at a dizzying rate, too many to possibly keep track of, but she was certain there was a fair amount of apprehension and maybe even fear tangled up in everything that he was feeling. Bakura, she realized, was not so cold that he hadn't been worried she might leave. It was just like him to put up a front and pretend that it hadn't mattered. She just didn't know him well enough yet to be able to tell when he was being honest about not caring and when he was lying.

"You're going to drive me crazy," she said, and he smirked.

"That was your choice to make," he replied. "You have no one to blame but yourself."

"I'll remember that." Ryou dared to lean closer and rest her head on his chest. She'd have to go meet her father with the news. Maybe Bakura would come with her after all. She closed her eyes. "Bakura? I know you probably won't want to hear me say this, but I love you."

Bakura, as expected, didn't say anything in response to that. But he did wind an arm around her waist to keep her in place, and that, Ryou thought, said it all.

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Please review!


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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It was the sound of shouting that told Ryou where the rest of their group was when she came downstairs. More amused than she really wanted to let on, she followed the sounds until she found a large room that was filled to the brim with Mokuba, Yuugi, Jou, Anzu, Honda, Mai, Yami, Seto, and the Dark Magician, who was kicking the shit out of some kind of dragon type monster. Yami was smirking and Seto looked just this side of murderous. Ryou cast a quick glance towards the board that displayed their life points and winced. While Yami had an even 1,000 points remaining, Seto had just plummeted to a low 200 points. One more blast like that and he would be finished. This duel was about to turn deadly.

"Yuugi!" she hissed, lingering in the doorway and waving to get Yuugi's attention. It took a couple of tries before Yuugi finally tore her eyes away from the duel and realized that Ryou was trying to speak to her. She skirted the edge of the crowd and walked over to the door, her eyebrows raised high. Ryou didn't blame her. It was the first time she had ever tried to dress up as a girl. She was wearing a blue dress that fit much tighter than anything she was used to and a pair of shoes with a very small heel. Her hair had been tied back in a low ponytail with a blue ribbon.

"You look nice," Yuugi said, realizing that Ryou was a lot more nervous than she looked. "Are you going to see your dad?"

Ryou nodded. She had not spoken about her decision with anyone, but it was obvious that Yuugi had already guessed the outcome. "I even convinced Bakura to come with me," she said with a small flash of satisfaction. Actually, after a few more kisses he hadn't protested all that much when she suggested it. She suspected that, although he would never admit it, he was privately concerned that she would change her mind at the last minute if she went by herself.

"Oh, you do? I was going to offer to come, but if Bakura's going I'll stay here," Yuugi replied, glancing over her shoulder just in time to see that Seto was summoning the Blue Eyes White Dragon. He was now wearing a look of positive glee, while Yami had crossed his arms and looked just as confident as ever.

"That's alright. I wouldn't want you to miss the outcome of the duel." Ryou paused for a moment, half wishing that she could stay and watch as well. It certainly sounded like a lot more fun than telling her father that she wasn't going to be moving to Egypt with him after all. "Yuugi, I guess you know that I've decided to stay here. Do you think I'm making the right choice?"

Yuugi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I guess it's hard for me to say, Ryou," she said slowly, wrinkling her nose. "I mean, I don't know all of what influenced your decision. Now don't get me wrong, I'm really happy that you're staying. I would have supported you if you had wanted to go, but you're my friend and I'd much rather you be here with us." She folded her arms. "But if you're asking me what I would have done in your position, I would have asked myself where I would be happier, who I couldn't bear to be without, and I think that would've given me my answer. _Your_ answer."

"I think you're right," Ryou said after a moment of reflection, feeling that last little bit of niggling doubt finally fading away. She thought now, though she wouldn't have dared said as much out loud, that Bakura might have come with her to Egypt. He would have hated it, no doubt, and he would have made them both miserable, but he still would have come. But that realization didn't make her want to move to Egypt. It only made her that much more certain that staying in Domino was the right decision.

"You know what you want, Ryou," Yuugi said gently, giving her hand a warm squeeze. "It was lovely that your father wanted to make amends after all these years, but there's no reason why you should have to sacrifice everything if that's not what you really want. I think your father will understand."

"I hope so, but even if he doesn't I don't care." She was surprised to realize that the confidently stated words were actually true. She smiled at Yuugi, who grinned back, and then both of them winced at the sound of a collision. Brightly coloured lights sprayed everywhere as a weakened Blue Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician vanished. Ryou shielded her eyes from the display and whispered, "I think I'll let you get back to watching."

"Good luck," Yuugi whispered back, already turning towards the battle.

Stepping backwards, Ryou eased the door shut and turned to see that Bakura was waiting for her. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Like the rest of the clothing that Mai and Anzu had bought, it fit him perfectly, and the dark blue shirt complimented his eyes. Ryou smiled at him. "Yami and Kaiba are duelling," she explained.

"Another win for the pharaoh, no doubt," he said. "Maybe it's a good thing you're going to talk to your old man. I doubt the priest's generosity will continue after he gets his ass kicked."

"No, probably not, although I can't imagine he would force us to leave if we really didn't have anywhere to go," Ryou replied. Seto had cultivated an image of being just this side of cruel, but she knew that he wasn't really like that. His actions towards her and Yuugi, Mokuba's influence or not, had proven that much. She stepped towards Bakura and took hold of his arm, tugging him gently towards the front door. They were going to walk to the restaurant, and she didn't want to be late.

Bakura fell into step beside her obligingly enough. As they walked down the driveway and out onto the sidewalk, Ryou shivered - the night air was a little chilly - and said impulsively, "Do you regret it, Bakura? I mean, do you wish that I hadn't brought you back?" It was something they had not discussed, but she had always wondered.

"The afterlife was boring," Bakura said, and it surprised her that he was even bothering to respond. "I was… not supposed to be there. For some reason, the gods took pity on me." He sounded faintly disgusted at the idea, and she had to hide a smile. "Everything was peaceful and happy. I even saw my family."

Ryou's eyes widened slightly. She wasn't sure which shocked her more, that Bakura was admitting this or that he was telling it to _her_. "You did?"

"Yes. My mother and father, my siblings… they were all there, waiting to welcome me. When the Millennium Items were laid to rest, their souls were set free." He sighed, just once, and looked off into the distance, like he was seeing something or someone that she couldn't. Ryou watched him for a moment longer and realized that she had no idea how to respond to that. They walked the rest of the way in silence.

**INC**

As Ryou left, Yuugi turned back to watch the conclusion of the battle between Yami and Seto. She could sense that Yami was flush with victory. The rush of a hard-won triumph, so close that he could taste it, was flooding through their bond, leaving her with a strange shivery sensation. Seto, on the other hand, was obviously feeling the pinch. He always became so flustered when the Blue Eyes White Dragon was taken down, and Yuugi knew that in this case it was going to lead to another loss for him. But that was alright - she had the feeling that Seto was no longer quite as obsessed with beating Yami as he had been, and that this battle was more for old time's sake than anything.

She was so involved in watching that she didn't notice Anzu was approaching until Anzu was standing right beside her. "Yuugi," Anzu said quietly, her voice low enough to not catch the attention of anyone else, and Yuugi jumped and looked at her in surprise.

"Oh, Anzu," she said hesitantly, the memory of their last encounter still fresh in her mind. She hadn't spoken to Anzu yet beyond greeting her when she arrived, mostly because she wasn't sure how to begin. She'd known about Anzu's feelings for Yami, but in the long run it hadn't made much of a difference. She'd gone ahead and started something with Yami anyway. The whole situation left a bad taste in her mouth, and she honestly wasn't sure how Anzu was planning to react. Yuugi wouldn't have blamed her if Anzu had been angry, but much to her surprise there was no such emotion in Anzu's expression.

"I wanted to say that I'm happy for you," Anzu said after taking a deep breath. She held up a hand to forestall anything else that Yuugi might have said. "No, please let me finish. I loved Yami a lot."

"I know," Yuugi said softly, because she couldn't _not_ say something.

Anzu flashed a painful smile and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you would. God knows I've talked about it to you enough over the years, huh? I guess that's something I have to apologize for. I knew how you felt about me, Yuugi, but I guess I thought if I ignored it long enough you would get over your crush. I didn't want anything to hurt our friendship and I knew you were too shy to say anything to me. I was glad that you didn't. You're one of my best friends, but I never liked you in that way. But Yami..." Her eyes went soft. "Yami's different. He was everything I wanted. And I wanted him so much that I didn't stop to think about the fact that you might have had a prior claim on him. That you _did_ have a claim on him because he's your other half."

Yuugi considered this in silence for a moment. It hurt to know that Anzu had purposefully ignored her crush over the years, even though she had suspected that might be the case. But in the long run, that may very well have been the best decision for both of them. "To be fair," she said at last, "if I had stayed a boy, Yami and I probably wouldn't have become romantically involved."

"Yeah, right," Anzu said, seemingly becoming a little more at ease now that she knew Yuugi wasn't upset. She shifted her weight and folded her arms. "I was determined to have my say, and I did, and Yami chose you. I have to learn to accept that. And I will." She licked her lips and then smiled. "So… I just wanted to tell you that even though it stings, I still want to be your friend. Nothing will ever come between us as far as I'm concerned."

Relief flooded through Yuugi. Impulsively she stepped forward and threw her arms around her friend. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," she confessed, hugging Anzu tightly.

"Oh, I think I do," Anzu murmured, hugging her back. What she had told Yuugi was true. It hurt to see Yuugi and Yami together because it made her face the fact that her own dreams would never come true. But a couple of days with Mai had given her the space to be able to start accepting that, and she knew that she wouldn't want this to end their friendship. Yuugi was too important to her for that to happen.

They broke apart only when a shout went up, and they turned just in time to see Seto's life points drop to zero. Yami crossed the space between them through the smoke and offered a hand, something he had never done before. Seto stared at him for a moment before he took it, giving it a brief shake. Yuugi grinned when she saw that, hoping that it would be the beginning of, if not a friendship between the two men, a more understanding relationship. Anzu sighed and dropped her arms, giving Yuugi a gentle push in Yami's direction, and Yuugi needed no more prompting: she ran to her other half and gave him a congratulatory kiss.

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Please review!


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N:** Enjoy!

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Mutou Yuugi walked into her bedroom at the Kaiba mansion for what would hopefully be the last time - for a little while, anyway. Starting the next morning she and Yami would both be moving back to the game shop, and then life would hopefully go back to normal… or at least, as normal as it could get considering the frankly _ab_normal people that she spent her time with. She sat down on the edge of the bed and watched, amused, as Yami strolled into the room behind her. He was still flying high from his win, even more so now that he knew Seto wasn't going to kick the four of them out.

"He took it very well, I thought," said Yuugi, picking up on her partner's trail of thought. "I think Mokuba and Jou are doing an excellent job in softening him up."

"I'm sure you had something to do with it, too," Yami said. He set their deck of cards down on the dresser and gave them a quick pat of thanks. "All the same, I am glad that we are finally going home, Aibou. I'm looking forward to being able to see Jii-chan again."

She nodded, smiling. She still hadn't decided what she would do about school, whether or not she would be dressing as a girl or a boy. And the idea of just going _back_ to school was frankly terrifying, as she and Ryou had both missed a good two weeks to a month. She envied Yami and Bakura, who wouldn't have to bother going. The identification Seto had fabricated stated that they had both already graduated from high school. She watched as Yami removed his boots and wondered what he would do during the day to keep from becoming bored. The game shop wasn't nearly as interesting as battling people who were out to rule the world.

Yami snorted at that. "I think I'll manage," he said wryly, supporting himself with a hand against the wall. "You said it yourself: Jii-chan is getting older. He'll probably need the help."

"That's true," Yuugi admitted. She hadn't thought about that. This could actually work out nicely. The idea of Yami being home with her grandfather when she couldn't be was comforting. If nothing else, she knew that Sugoroku would listen to Yami if he started doing too much and needed a rest. It would be a big weight off of Yuugi's mind.

"And besides," Yami went on, finally moving over to the bed and sitting down beside her. "I'm going to have to get used to it, aren't I? Someday the two of us will be running the shop."

Yuugi's heart quickened. "You've thought about that?"

"Of course I have, Aibou. I know how much you love the Kame Game Shop. I figured that once your grandfather couldn't work anymore, you and I would take over." He shrugged, looking uncertain. "Unless you had other plans, but you had never mentioned them to me so I thought…"

"No!" Yuugi shook her head. "No, that's… that sounds perfect, actually." It really did. She could envision it easily. As long as the shop continued to perform well, it would give them a tidy source of income, enough to support them and Sugoroku if need be. She could look into selling more exclusive Kaiba Corp merchandise if they had to; she was certain Mokuba and Seto would help. Owning their own business would give them the freedom to travel or fight anyone who came along to stir up trouble, though she hoped the latter never became an issue, and it would mean that Yami's lack of an education wouldn't be an issue.

In spite of all that, Yami was still watching her closely. "I wouldn't stop you if you had other plans," he added.

"I know you wouldn't. But I don't. I just… I hadn't realized that you were thinking about it, that's all," Yuugi said, twisting to face him. The move left their faces quite close, and she couldn't keep her gaze from falling to his lips. "To be honest, I think it sounds wonderful. When I was growing up, I always expected that I'd take over the game shop someday. My… my mother was never very interested in working there. She liked interacting with the customers, but she got bored of the inventory and financial side of things awfully fast. But… are you sure that's a life you would want, Yami? It's not very…" She closed her eyes, fumbling for the right word, and came up with, "Pharaoh-ly."

Yami chuckled. The sound was deep and felt as though it resonated all the way down her bones. "No, it's not. But maybe that's what I need. I was a pharaoh for a very long time, Yuugi. After a while, that much responsibility starts to wear on you. Even in the afterlife…" He trailed off and she was startled when he leaned down and kissed her. "I just want to be with you," he whispered against her mouth.

"I want that, too," she murmured back, opening her eyes. All she could see was crimson, he was so close. He kissed her again, their lips moving gently against each other. Being like this, with Yami, was more than she could have dreamed of, and Yuugi knew that she wanted more. This wasn't something that was sudden or unexpected: she felt as though they had been building to this point for a very long time, and she did not want to stop. She reached up and slipped her fingers into his hair, shifting so that her thigh was pressed against his. When he didn't seem to get the hint, she boldly caught hold of his hand and lifted it so that it was cupping her breast.

His eyes opened then. \Yuugi?\ he questioned, pausing the kiss. He did not move away, but remained where he was, their lips resting together so that they were essentially breathing each other's air.

/I'm ready, Yami,/ she told him. For the first time, she thought she could truly understand what had driven Ryou into Bakura's arms that night. The desire to not be alone, to have a physical connection with someone, was a powerful motivator. It was even stronger when that person was your other half. She knew that Yami would be by her side forever, but that knowledge did not stop her from wanting this. If anything, it only served to make her desire more powerful. She exhaled and lightly pushed at his shoulders. He went with it, allowing her to guide him back down onto the bed.

"Are you sure?" he asked out loud, his hands moving to rest lightly on her hips as she straddled him. In spite of his questions, he couldn't stop himself from reaching up to cup her breasts again once she had stopped moving. Experimentally he rubbed, and Yuugi shivered at the sweet little pulse of excitement she felt.

"I am," she replied, reaching for the bottom of her top. Fearlessly, she pulled it up over her head, leaving her upper half clad in just her bra. Then she leaned down to kiss him again, relishing in the feeling of his warm hands sliding up to clutch at her bare shoulders. There would be no more waiting for either of them.

**INC**

Burger World was bustling and noisy, filled with plenty of children, teenagers and even some adults. Ryou looked around as she and Bakura entered, but she didn't see any sign of her father. That was a little surprising. Osamu usually made it a point to be early whenever possible. In fact, she had some vivid memories of spectacular fights between her parents whenever her mother was more than a few minutes late. She checked her watch, noting that she and Bakura were two minutes late as it was, and then glanced over the booths again as though a second look might cause him to magically appear.

"I guess he must be running late," she said finally. "We might as well sit down. He should be here soon." There was a free table in the back corner where they would be freely visible to anyone walking in, and Ryou sat down so that she could watch the door. Osamu would see them as soon as he entered, but she didn't want there to be any chance that they would miss each other.

After about five minutes of sitting in silence Bakura grew restless, and finally she gave him some money and sent him over to the row of arcade games that lined the far wall. Even though he wouldn't know how to play them, she also knew it wouldn't take long before he figured it out. He might not have been the king of games, but Bakura was both intelligent and in possession of a healthy sense of curiosity about the modern world. She watched, smiling fondly, as he stood back and watched a few of the kids playing before approaching one of the machines. Within less than a minute, he was completely absorbed.

The minutes ticked by slowly. At the ten minute mark, she tried to call her father. There was no answer. There wasn't even any ringing; the phone went straight to voicemail. Ryou stared down at her phone and experienced an odd sinking feeling. He didn't have his phone, or it was shut off, or he wasn't picking up. The first option was unlikely considering that, for a man who spent much of time living without technology, Osamu was surprisingly attached to his phone. So was it shut off for some reason or did he know that it was Ryou calling and that's why he wasn't answering? She wasn't really sure which would be worse.

Now Ryou was the one who was starting to feel restless. She stood up, unable to sit still and wait any more, and joined the end of the line. "Where are you, Tou-san?" she muttered to herself, keeping one eye on her phone just in case it rang. The line was moving slowly and she sighed, impatient, willing her phone to ring.

"Oh, are you Ryou?"

Ryou glanced up in surprise to see that the cashier was smiling at her. He was young, about Ryou's age, and had dark hair and a friendly grin, but she didn't recognize him. "Yeah, that's my name," she answered after a moment. "I'm sorry… do I know you?"

"No. But someone came in earlier today and asked me if I would give this to you. He told me you'd have white hair and brown eyes. I thought it must be you. Easiest ten bucks I've ever made." The boy looked smug as he reached behind the counter and brought out a small, carefully folded square of white paper. He tossed it down onto her tray. "Now, what can I get for you?"

"Um, just a drink please," Ryou said, staring down at the paper. She was bursting to know what it contained, but she knew better than to open it there. She waited while he got her a drink, then stepped away from the counter holding the paper and a cup of cola. Somehow she wasn't surprised to realize that Bakura was standing off to the side waiting for her, arms folded and glaring at the cashier.

"What's that?" he demanded.

"What, afraid someone might have given me their number?" she asked. His scowl flickered and darkened and she smirked, thrusting her cup into his hands. "I think it's from my father." Carefully, she unfolded the square. The creases had been formed carefully, deliberately, with the sort of precision that only Osamu would have bothered to pay attention to, and the page itself was about half-filled with writing.

_Dear Ryou,_ she read, _I suppose that I should count myself lucky that you're reading this, and that you haven't balled it up and thrown it away. Hell, maybe you have. It's what I would deserve. You've probably tried to call my phone and by now you'll have realized that I'm not picking up. The truth is, right now I'm at Domino Airport and I'm boarding a flight to Egypt. I know I wasn't supposed to leave this early, but I was able to get my ticket switched to an earlier date. _

_ Call me a coward, sweetheart, I am what I am. But I knew from the moment you walked out the door that you wouldn't be coming back to Egypt with me._

The next several lines were scribbled out.

_ Sorry about that, just ignore your old man. I wish I had the strength to face you, to listen to your reasons why you'd rather stay in Domino because I know they've got to be good ones, but I don't. I'm sorry. I love you. I hope that you still love me. _

More lines crossed out, so darkly that she couldn't make out what had been written no matter how hard she squinted.

_You remind me of your mother. That's good. Be more like her than me. _

And that was it.

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Please review!


	62. Chapter 62

**A/N:** This is the second to last chapter. Enjoy it while it lasts!

**Note:** There will be no update next week, March 8th 2013, as I am moving to a new apartment (my first time!) and won't have the time. You can check my profile for updates.

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There was, Yuugi discovered, something to be said for waking up in your lover's arms. She almost didn't want to wake up at all, not when her head was pillowed comfortably on Yami's shoulder and she was delightfully warm. For a moment, she wasn't sure what had even awakened her. But - and yes, there it was: the annoying sound that had woken her up in the first place. Someone was knocking on their door, and it didn't seem like they were going to go away any time soon. Yami, somehow, had slept through the noise entirely, so either she had to get up or let him be woken up. When another minute passed and the knocking didn't stop, she gave in.

"I am entirely too nice sometimes," she muttered, reluctantly pushing the covers away. She winced as the cold air rushed over her naked body, and Yami stirred briefly at the chill. Yuugi quickly hopped off of the bed and pushed the covers back down, creating a warm cocoon. She bent down and ran her hand gently through Yami's hair. "Go back to sleep, Yami."

Only once he'd settled did she grab the robe that was draped over the chair. Throwing it on, she grabbed the door handle and wrenched it open. Her best glare faded slowly when she caught sight of the expression on Ryou's face, along with all of her dreams of going back to bed anytime soon. Ryou was upset, and she was going to have to do something about it. Smothering a sigh, she edged her way out into the hall and eased the door shut behind her. Too late she realized that she should've grabbed a pair of slippers, as her feet were freezing. Oh, well. She tied the robe shut and looked expectantly at Ryou.

"Sorry," Ryou said. "I'm sorry. I know you guys were sleeping." She blinked and took a closer look at Yuugi, then raised an eyebrow. "_Were_ you sleeping?"

"We were this morning," Yuugi replied, and left it at that. "What's wrong?"

Silently, Ryou handed her a letter. Yuugi took it and read it once, then twice, and finally a third time, her disbelief mounting with every read. "You can't be serious," she said, flipping the page over just to make sure there were no extra details that might've escaped notice. "He's just… gone?"

Ryou nodded. "I called the airport last night when Bakura and I got home, just to make sure," she said. "He left on the 7pm flight to Egypt."

"Damn," Yuugi swore softly. It wasn't common for her to curse, but somehow the situation seemed to warrant it. Now fully awake, she pushed her hair out of her face and shot Ryou a concerned look. She could tell that Ryou had had a hard night. Her eyes were puffy and she looked tired. "Has he called you? Talked to you at all aside from this?" She shook the letter limply.

"No. I've tried his phone a couple of times, but he never answered so I gave up." Ryou sighed. "I haven't tried yet this morning. To be honest, I don't know what I would say even if he did pick up. And I don't think that a long, awkward silence is really going to be the answer."

Yuugi smiled, but she was still worried. "What do you want to say?"

Instead of answering, Ryou turned and began to walk down the hall. Yuugi followed automatically, tying her robe more tightly as they went down the stairs and into the kitchen. It was mercifully empty of even the cooks, and she and Ryou were able to take a seat at the table without being disturbed. The letter ended up in the middle, right between them where it couldn't be ignored even if they had wanted to. Ryou reached out and touched it lightly with the tip of her finger, and right then Yuugi understood in a sudden flash of clarity what the problem was. She sat back, stunned.

"You're not angry at him, are you?"

A pink flush stole across Ryou's cheeks. "No, I'm not," she admitted. "I know that I should be. I _feel_ like I should be. But I'm not."

"But… he left you," Yuugi said in disbelief. "Ryou, I know we're hikaris and that we're supposed to be all good and stuff, but this is crossing a line that not even I could match!"

"I know, I know. Like I said, I'm already aware of that. Bakura made it perfectly clear to me last night that he thought I was taking this like a wuss." Ryou rolled her eyes. "Only he used a term that was a little less polite." There was a small smile lingering on her lips, though, like she wasn't quite as upset about Bakura's ranting as she would have led Yuugi to believe.

All Yuugi could do was shake her head in amazement. "I just can't believe how calmly you're taking this," she said. Ryou's father had essentially done the exact same thing that he'd done several years ago, and she was pretty sure Ryou hadn't reacted this way back then.

"Well…" Ryou sighed. "Maybe Bakura is right and I'm looking at it the wrong way, but when I compare my situation to yours… I can't help thinking that I came off lucky." She looked down at the letter again. The words were already imprinted on her brain, she'd read it so many times. "I mean, yes he left me, but he also made it clear that it was because of him, not because of what I did. And to be honest, Yuugi, the man might be my father, but I've never depended on him for anything other than money, and I'm sure he's going to keep supplying that." She met Yuugi's eyes squarely. "Frankly, I'm starting to accept that he's never going to be anything else. He's not interested in being a parent to me. I can't fight that."

"But he made you that offer…" Yuugi protested weakly.

"Yes, but I'm not at all sure that he didn't make it out of guilt or because his girlfriend wanted him to," Ryou replied. "I think he offered because he thought I would turn him down, and then he could go back to Egypt and tell her that it was my choice, not his. And then he would come off looking like he'd made the effort. Yeah, it came wrapped up in lots of pretty little apologies and excuses, but when you come right down to it he chose to run away rather than let me decide. In spite of what he says, he didn't_ know_ that I wouldn't have chosen to go with him."

"That's true." Yuugi looked down at the letter, too. It was hard to believe that there were people in the world who could be so callous, so _selfish_. She hadn't thought that this would be how things would turn out for the two of them. "Still… it must be a disappointment for you. I'm sorry."

"Thanks," Ryou said with a tiny smile. "I have to admit, I _am_ disappointed. And I feel a little foolish for all of the time I wasted thinking about whether or not I should go with him when it turns out that it was never really up to me." She shrugged and sat back, crossing one of her legs over the other. It was a move probably meant to make her looked relaxed, but Yuugi knew better. "I'll know better next time."

Yuugi just nodded and rubbed her eyes. "What will you do now?"

"What else can I do? He's gone and I'd already decided that I was going to stay here. I'm confident that he's going to keep sending us money. The house is still there, and I don't think it's fair for us to keep living here with Kaiba. I guess that Bakura and I will go home and try to keep going as best we can." She paused briefly. "I'll have to go back to school."

"You don't want to go back?" Yuugi asked. The sour note in Ryou's voice hadn't escaped her notice.

"I knew we'd have to. I'm just concerned about what Bakura will do while I'm gone all day," Ryou replied. "I know he's going to be bored as hell, and I might not remember much from when he possessed me, but I do remember that a bored Bakura usually leads to fires. Or theft. Or god knows what else. I really don't want to be called out of school to come bail him out of jail. And that's only if he gets _caught_."

"Hmm, I can see your point," said Yuugi, wincing. She wasn't sure she wanted to think about what Bakura was capable of even if he wasn't being influenced by Zorc. Human or not, the man was still the thief king. "Well... Yami's going to be helping Jii-chan with the shop during the day. You could send Bakura over."

Ryou looked skeptical. "I'm not sure that's going to work," she said. "They might not want to kill each other anymore, but I don't think they're ready to become best friends. I'll think about it some more. Maybe I'll talk to Mokuba about it. He and Kaiba have done a decent job of solving every other problem we've had. There's a good chance they might be able to come up with something for him to do."

Yuugi considered that, and before she knew it she started to giggle. Noticing that Ryou was watching her curiously, she gasped out, "Sorry. I just got an image of Seto in my head dressed in a fairy godmother costume and holding a sparkly wand."

To be fair, Ryou made a valiant attempt to keep a straight face. But eventually she couldn't hold back either, and she started to giggle. That only made Yuugi laugh harder, which in turn set Ryou off that much more, and in the end by the time that Malik walked into the kitchen they were both struggling to breathe. He just stood there and stared at them with a funny little smile, his hands propped lightly on his hips as he waited for them to get themselves under control. Yuugi finally had to physically turn herself away from Ryou and stare at the table for almost a full minute before she felt the wave of almost hysterical laughter subsiding. It just felt so good to laugh!

"Dare I ask what that was about?" Malik asked at last.

"It's probably best that you don't," Ryou replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. She was still smiling, and her earlier melancholy had vanished. "What brings you down here so early, Malik?"

"Nee-san, Nii-san and I are leaving."

"You are?" Yuugi stared at him in surprise. Granted, she had not spoken to Malik in a few days but this was the first she had heard that they were departing.

Malik nodded. "Nee-san said... She thought it was best that we go sooner rather than later," he said hesitantly. "After all of the trouble that we've caused you, we didn't want to overstay our welcome."

Yuugi exchanged a look with Ryou. It bothered her that Malik thought his presence wouldn't be wanted, but not as much as the idea that he might be right. She knew that Jou and the others would probably be pleased to see him ago. In their eyes, Malik was the cause of everything that had happened. And, okay, technically they were right, but Yuugi couldn't see it that way. Malik was a good person. He didn't deserve the things that had been done to him. She hoped that now he would be able to go back to Egypt and truly start over without the fear of Yami Malik hanging over him, and she hoped that the next time Malik came to visit he was much happier than he was now.

"We'll miss you," she said softly but sincerely, and she stood up and walked over to him. Slipping her arms around him in a hug felt oddly natural. Malik tensed for a second before he relaxed, and then his arms came up around her in return. She heard the sound of the chair being pushed out, and then Ryou joined them in the embrace which tightened until Malik was hugging them both almost desperately.

"Make sure you visit," Ryou said, speaking Yuugi's thoughts out loud.

"I will," Malik promised, his voice ragged. "I promise I will."

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Please review!


	63. Chapter 63

**A/N:** Wow, last chapter! More notes at the bottom for those who are interested. Enjoy!

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On Monday morning, Yuugi climbed out of bed a few minutes before her alarm clock would've gone off. Quietly, so that she didn't wake Yami, she crept out of the room and into the bathroom. Sharing a room with another physical person was a new experience, one that both she and Yami were slowly adjusting to. Sugoroku had made it clear that while he didn't mind if they slept together, there would be no _sleeping together_ under his roof. Just remembering the look on Yami's face when he heard that made Yuugi giggle as she shut the door behind her and then locked it, just in case any ex-pharaohs got any ideas about joining her.

It was the day she would be going back to school, and Yuugi now had a decision to make. She had thought very long and very hard about whether she wanted to finish out the year pretending to be a boy or whether she wanted to come out as a girl. After they'd said good-bye to Malik, she and Ryou had spent quite a while talking it over. Neither of them had come to a firm decision, but Yuugi thought she knew what Ryou was going to do. Under the circumstances, she believed that it made the most sense.

She took a shower and washed her hair, then spent a while styling it back into her customary spikes. It was somewhat ironic that her hair actually took longer to do as a boy than it did when she was a girl. She bound her breasts and pulled on the boy's uniform before examining herself in the mirror. All told, she actually didn't look like a boy. She looked like exactly what she was: a teenaged girl _pretending_ to be a boy. But she knew from experience that it was unlikely anyone would notice unless they were presented with proof, physical or otherwise. And even then, high school students were so wrapped up in their own lives they might not even notice.

Seto had taken care of her records, so if anyone were to go looking they would know the truth. If Yuugi wanted to, she could walk into school wearing a girl's uniform and - theoretically - no one could say a word. But she had less than a year of school left, only a few months if she caught up on everything she had missed, and it didn't seem worthwhile to invite that level of criticism down on her head for a few months. It would've been different if she had to do it for years, but when she was done with high school she would stop with the disguise. If she went to university, it would be as a girl.

A familiar tickle in her mind stopped her intent examination of the mirror, and Yuugi smiled as she unlocked the door and opened it. "What, you mean Bakura hasn't taught you how to pick locks yet?" she asked playfully, gazing up into the warm eyes of her darkness.

"I'm told Jii-chan also frowns on that," Yami replied, crowding into the bathroom and closing the door behind him. His hands found their way easily to her hips, thumbs rubbing lazy circles into the fabric. "So this is what you've decided?"

"Yes. It just seems to be the easiest way. I know there are people who wouldn't be able to resist saying something, and I don't want Jou or Honda or you to get into trouble because you were defending me," she replied. "And don't say that you wouldn't because I know what you're like."

He just smirked. Though for the most part Yami had left behind the stage where he cared for nothing and no one save for Yuugi, she could still see that side of him on occasion. It didn't scare her the way that it used to: she knew that Yami only ever acted with her safety in mind, and the fact that he was willingly to fight for her was very soothing in a way. However, having said that, unleashing an enraged yami on her classmates was not the senior year that she wanted to have.

"Are you okay with this, then?" he asked, and Yuugi blinked at him in puzzled surprise. She didn't understand until he deliberately slipped his right hand behind and down, cupping her bottom. "You know that if we do anything where people can see us, they'll think we're gay. That can come with its own set of problems. If you want me to keep my distance until the end of the year -"

"No!" Yuugi said vehemently, clutching at his shoulders like he might try to pull away. She had spent so long without him that the idea of trying to hide their relationship was actually painful. "No, Yami. You're right, I didn't think of that but there is no way I'm going to pretend that I don't love you. I want to be able to kiss you whenever I want." She paused, suddenly uncertain with her choice, and looked down at the clothing that she was wearing. "Maybe it _would_ be better to just go to school dressed as a girl. Tell everyone the truth, regardless of how they take it."

"It's whatever you want," Yami told her. "If you want to try and keep our relationship quiet, that's fine. If you want to come out as a girl, that's fine too."

Yuugi looked up into his eyes for a long time, considering her options. Either way, it was going to invite a lot of scrutiny, and it would inevitably result in a lot of insults. Was it better to get in trouble for the truth or for a lie? She could feel her stomach tightening with nerves at the idea of dressing up as a girl. "I don't even have the uniform," she said.

His smile widened. "Stay here," he said, squeezing her hip lightly and then stepping away. He opened the door and slipped out into the hallway. Yuugi waited, her curiosity mounting with every second that it took for him to return. Fortunately, it didn't take very long. Yami came back in clutching a hanger, and draped over it was a Domino High girl's uniform.

"Where did you get that?" Yuugi demanded, amazed. She reached out and touched the hem of the pink jacket, rubbing it between her fingers like she wasn't sure that it was real.

"Anzu," Yami replied, grinning. "She went to the school for me and bought two of them, one for you and one for Ryou, while we were waiting for Ryou to make up her mind. I gave one to Bakura and he took it home. I thought that you might want to have the option."

"You two..." Yuugi shook her head. "I can't believe you did that."

"Thank Anzu. She's the one who did it." Yami handed her the uniform. "You decide, Aibou. It's up to you. Whatever you want is fine by me."

She stared down at the uniform while he closed the door, her mind spinning. For a couple of minutes, she didn't do anything else. What was worse? What choice did she want to make? Did she want to hide everything with Yami? No. No, she didn't. But it would mean exposing herself as a girl, letting the whole world in on the fact that she was no longer male. After that, there really wouldn't be any going back… not that there was now. Was she ready for this? She clutched the uniform tightly to her chest and took a deep breath before setting it aside. Grimly, she reached for the buttons on her shirt.

It took less time to get undressed, and she was redressed in the girl's uniform with panties and a bra underneath in record time. Yuugi stuck her head under the sink and switched the water on, scrubbing to get rid of the gel. When her hair felt suitably clean, she rubbed it briskly with a towel to get as much water out as possible and ran a quick brush through it. It felt freeing to watch the dark curls settle down around her shoulders, and there was a smile on her face as she turned and opened the door. There was no sign of Yami, but she found the packet containing her new identity waiting for her on the kitchen table, and his glow of approval and pride surrounded her like a warm cocoon as she left.

Jou met her on the road just like he always did, though his eyebrows rose when he saw how she was dressed. "Decided to come out, then?" he asked.

"I had to do it in at least one way," Yuugi replied, pausing to sling her backpack over her shoulder. Most girls carried little briefcases to avoid wrinkling their jackets, but there were some comforts she was not prepared to do without! "You understand, don't you?"

"Of course," he said with an easy smile, turning to walk towards the school. "You gotta do what you gotta do, Yuugi. And don't worry. If anyone says anything to you, they're going to get a pounding."

That's what I'm afraid of, Yuugi didn't say. She just smiled and changed the subject to the new duel monsters cards that had recently been released, and when Honda and Anzu joined up with them she was relieved that neither of her friends seemed too surprised that she was dressed as a girl. As they got closer to the school, Yuugi started to look around expectantly. About a block away, she spotted the person she was looking for: a white-haired girl dressed in the same uniform she was wearing. Ryou was waiting for them under the shelter of a tree, holding the same style briefcase that Anzu had. When she saw them she looked relieved, and Yuugi hurried over to her.

"You changed your mind, too?" she asked as soon as they were within speaking distance.

"I had to. Bakura said he didn't want any girls moving in on me," Ryou said, rolling her eyes. "Apparently he still remembers how much Miho hit on me when I first moved here." She shrugged and smirked. "He knows I'm not really inclined towards guys, just him, so he decided that this would be the safer route. He hid all of my male clothing and this was the only thing I could find."

Yuugi had to laugh. Apparently Ryou's and Bakura's relationship was progressing quite nicely. "Do you mind?"

"Not really. I thought about it afterwards and decided that having the weight of that secret on my shoulders might not be worth it after all," Ryou answered. "I've lived with secrets for a long time, Yuugi. You don't tend to realize how much stress it puts on you and the people you care most about. And since I wasn't planning to pretend to be a boy for the rest of my life, there didn't seem to be any point to carrying through on the farce even for now." She studied Yuugi. "I have to admit I am surprised to see you like this. You were adamant about not coming out until we were done with high school."

"I was until Yami pointed out it would cause problems anyway," said Yuugi. Now that she knew Ryou had chosen to do the same, she was feeling more comfortable with her decision. "You're right, Ryou. We might as well do it now."

Ryou nodded. "I'm glad," she said, and her cheeks pinked a little. "I mean, it's easier knowing that I don't have to walk in alone. Bakura said - well, he would have come with me, but I didn't want him to be late."

"It's just as well. Wouldn't want to set a bad example on the first day," Yuugi said, knowing that it wasn't really necessary to point out that any example Bakura made would probably not be good for long regardless. She shifted her backpack. "It was good of Seto to do that."

"It makes me feel a lot better," Ryou admitted. "You must be glad for Yami, too."

"I am. He won't be so bored this way." When Yuugi approached Seto to ask about Bakura, the man had surprised her by pointing out that Mokuba had already found positions for Yami and Bakura in Kaiba Corp. It was all there in the packets of information originally given to them. Bakura would be working full time, while Yami would be at Kaiba Corp for half days so that he could help Sugoroku in the afternoon when it became busier with customers. She had tried to profess her thanks, but Seto had waved her off. The only thing he wanted, apparently, was the endorsement of the Game 'King and Queen' on Kaiba Corp's newest technology and another duel with Yami. She had agreed, figuring it was the least that they could do. Seto's help had been invaluable and judging by the faint flush on his face after Yuugi left, she'd gotten that through to him.

Almost as one, she and Ryou both looked in the direction of the high school. It was close, and when they stepped through those doors Yuugi was keenly aware of the fact that everything was going to change. But all she had to do to take care of most of her fears was remember how utterly miserable she had been the last time she was there, when she'd been missing Yami so much that it was a physical ache in her chest. Now she had everything she needed, and she thought she could handle just about anything with Yami at her side.

\Corny,\ Yami remarked.

She started at the unexpected sound of his voice, and then grinned. /Stop paying attention to me and listen to your mentor,/ she scolded, knowing that he was completely ignoring the man who had been sent to show them around.

Yami just snorted but the connection between them went dull, indicated that he was obeying. Yuugi looked at Ryou. "Ready?"

Ryou smiled, her cheeks a little flushed. From the glaze in her eyes, Yuugi would bet she had just been having a similar conversation with Bakura. "Yup," she said, "let's do this."

* * *

**A/N:** I remain, to this day, blown away by the reception to this story. When it was initially suggested to me that I write a gender swap story, I wasn't keen on the idea. Much to my surprise, I actually enjoyed writing it and exploring a different side to the characters. I know that some people will be disappointed that the story ends here, but I've told what I came here to tell: the story of Yami's and Bakura's return, and what Yuugi and Ryou had to do for that to happen. The rest, you can use your imagination.

For all those who may be interested, in the next month or so I plan to begin writing a new Yugioh story that will feature fem!Yuugi, fem!Ryou, fem!Malik and possibly fem!Jou. It will be an AU, titled _Angel Undercover_, and the summary is as follows: "In a world where everyone has a partner monster, Yuugi, Malik, and Ryou are abnormal. Creatureless, they walk alone. Even solving the Puzzle and receiving the Rod or Ring doesn't help. After all, Yuugi can't be the pharaoh's light… that's no job for a girl." If you'd like to know when this story will be posted, I suggest you subscribe to me.

One last time now… please review!


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